UK police in EU data sharing pact

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The UK has signed up to a new scheme allowing police across the EU to share information on crime.

The system would allow the cross-border exchange of DNA and fingerprint data, vehicle registration and driving licence details.

Home Office minister Joan Ryan said the scheme was important because "criminals do not respect borders".

But shadow Home Secretary David Davis said the government had not considered the "consequences" of sharing data.

A Home Office spokeswoman said the scheme would give police forces access only to partial information.

It is typical of incompetent Home Office ministers to give away powers like this without thinking through the consequences David DavisShadow Home Secretary

The police would be able to search an EU-wide database to see if another country's force had a matching DNA sample or fingerprint, but if they wanted to get the full information, they would have to request it formally as they do now.

"Criminals do not respect borders," Ms Ryan said.

"It is therefore vitally important that our law enforcement authorities have the tools available to obtain information held by other EU countries as quickly as possible to help with the investigation and prevention of crime."

Mr Davis said the Conservatives "strongly" objected to the scheme.

"It is typical of incompetent Home Office Ministers to give away powers like this without thinking through the consequences.

"How exactly will our European counterparts ensure that the personal details of British citizens remain safe, especially given the treaty is not restricted to information held on criminal offenders?"

The UK's DNA database is reported to be the largest in the world, half as large again as all the databases of other member states put together.

Plans for air marshals to be deployed on planes were scrapped, as were planned new rights for police to chase suspects across borders.