Take innocents off DNA database

An inquiry into the National DNA Database funded by the Government will today publish a study which concludes that innocent people, and criminals who have served their time, should have their profiles deleted. The proposal by the "citizen's inquiry" overseen by the Human Genetics Commission would leave police unable to use the database to solve 'cold cases' - often touted as one of the main benefits of the scheme.

The inquiry said that retaining the profiles of criminals who have now served their time is unfair as it "continues to criminalise them". The panel of 30 members of the public urged the Government to shift control of the database from the police and the Home Office to an independent body.

Britain has the world's biggest police DNA database of more than four million profiles. Javed Aslam, who was one of the panel, said retaining the records would be "the first step towards a totalitarian state".