Safeguards needed on DNA sharing in Europe

3.41.54pm UTC (GMT +0000) Mon 21st Apr 2008

London's Liberal Democrat MEP Baroness Sarah Ludford has called for EU exchanges of data between police forces to be limited so that the DNA data of innocent British people is not circulated across Europe.

Speaking ahead of a vote in the European Parliament in a debate about the 'Prum Treaty' which is set to become law, Sarah Ludford said:

"I am all in favour of reducing unnecessary bureaucratic obstacles to exchanges of police data among EU law enforcement agencies. But I am totally against the supply to 26 countries - and potentially across the world - of the DNA of innocent people including children."

"The UK has the most extensive database of fingerprints and DNA data in Europe. Shockingly, it includes details of people acquitted or never even charged."

"The National DNA Database is a bad enough 'Big Brother Britain' disgrace in a domestic context, but to open it up to thousands of international forces without any safeguards is a gross betrayal of the human rights of UK citizens."