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| Pressure increases over DNA data | Pressure increases over DNA data |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The government is being urged to say why a DNA data disc was ignored for a year, meaning 15 people suspected of serious crimes abroad were not pursued. | The government is being urged to say why a DNA data disc was ignored for a year, meaning 15 people suspected of serious crimes abroad were not pursued. |
| Tory leader David Cameron called the error "catastrophic" and "incompetent", but Gordon Brown said the Conservatives opposed keeping DNA records. | |
| Last year Dutch police sent a disc with 4,000 DNA profiles from crime scenes to be checked against the UK's database. | |
| But the checks did not start until this month. Fifteen matches have been found. | But the checks did not start until this month. Fifteen matches have been found. |
| Police are now urgently looking for the individuals, suspected of crimes including murder and rape. | Police are now urgently looking for the individuals, suspected of crimes including murder and rape. |
| Victims | Victims |
| Home Office staff are believed to be discussing whether to make a statement. | Home Office staff are believed to be discussing whether to make a statement. |
| The disc, sent to the Crown Prosecution Service and authorities in other European countries in January last year, contained details of DNA profiles taken from samples left at crime scenes or found on victims of crimes in the Netherlands. | The disc, sent to the Crown Prosecution Service and authorities in other European countries in January last year, contained details of DNA profiles taken from samples left at crime scenes or found on victims of crimes in the Netherlands. |
| Dutch police asked that the profiles be checked against national DNA databases. The UK's holds the details of four million people. | Dutch police asked that the profiles be checked against national DNA databases. The UK's holds the details of four million people. |
| During heated exchanges in prime minister's questions in the House of Commons, Mr Cameron said: "Can the prime minister explain how such catastrophic errors of judgement took place?" | |
| Mr Brown replied: "It was only possible for the Dutch to ask us because we are keeping full DNA records. They [the Conservatives] are opposing that legislation." | |
| Mr Brown confirmed that 11 of those involved had gone on to commit offences in the UK, including assault and non-payment of fines. | |
| Mr Cameron asked: "Why is it that this government is so incompetent when it comes to protecting information from criminals?" | |
| Of course it's unsatisfactory that an administrative error led to serious criminals not being apprehended Keith Vaz, Labour | Of course it's unsatisfactory that an administrative error led to serious criminals not being apprehended Keith Vaz, Labour |
| An operation involving police and the Serious Organised Crime Agency has now begun to try to locate the 15 individuals found to have been in the UK. | An operation involving police and the Serious Organised Crime Agency has now begun to try to locate the 15 individuals found to have been in the UK. |
| Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg said: "This is yet another example of the public having been put at risk by the slapdash way that data is handled across Government departments. | Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg said: "This is yet another example of the public having been put at risk by the slapdash way that data is handled across Government departments. |
| "It is another hammer-blow against public confidence which has been so severely damaged over recent months by the various cases of data losses." | "It is another hammer-blow against public confidence which has been so severely damaged over recent months by the various cases of data losses." |
| BBC political editor Nick Robinson said the Home Office had been told about the situation a week ago but was advised to say nothing to avoid jeopardising the police operation. | BBC political editor Nick Robinson said the Home Office had been told about the situation a week ago but was advised to say nothing to avoid jeopardising the police operation. |
| 'Not security issue' | 'Not security issue' |
| He said there was a suggestion that the information had been left in the desk of an official who was off on sick leave. | He said there was a suggestion that the information had been left in the desk of an official who was off on sick leave. |
| The CPS stressed there was not "a data security issue", saying: "This information was always in the possession of the CPS." | The CPS stressed there was not "a data security issue", saying: "This information was always in the possession of the CPS." |
| HAVE YOUR SAYIn the private sector anyone losing data in this way would be fired on the spotNeil, Bath Send us your comments | HAVE YOUR SAYIn the private sector anyone losing data in this way would be fired on the spotNeil, Bath Send us your comments |
| It added: "We can confirm that DNA profiles of around 2,000 unknown individuals were sent by a foreign jurisdiction to the CPS to facilitate a check against the national DNA database. | It added: "We can confirm that DNA profiles of around 2,000 unknown individuals were sent by a foreign jurisdiction to the CPS to facilitate a check against the national DNA database. |
| "These are profiles relating to unsolved crimes in that country. As this information necessarily relates to ongoing police investigations, it would be inappropriate to provide any more detail at this stage." | "These are profiles relating to unsolved crimes in that country. As this information necessarily relates to ongoing police investigations, it would be inappropriate to provide any more detail at this stage." |
| Labour's Keith Vaz, chairman of the home affairs select committee, said a thorough investigation was needed. | Labour's Keith Vaz, chairman of the home affairs select committee, said a thorough investigation was needed. |
| 'Unsatisfactory' | 'Unsatisfactory' |
| He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "It does raise issues about the way in which these processes work. | He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "It does raise issues about the way in which these processes work. |
| "Of course it's unsatisfactory that an administrative error led to serious criminals not being apprehended." | "Of course it's unsatisfactory that an administrative error led to serious criminals not being apprehended." |
| Mr Vaz added that there was a need for more "checks and balances", saying: "It's very important that we make sure this is not repeated." | Mr Vaz added that there was a need for more "checks and balances", saying: "It's very important that we make sure this is not repeated." |
| The incident follows a series involving data, the biggest being the loss of 25 million people's child benefit details. | The incident follows a series involving data, the biggest being the loss of 25 million people's child benefit details. |
| Last month Defence Secretary Des Browne announced an inquiry after it emerged that a Royal Navy laptop containing 600,000 people's details had been stolen - and there had been two similar thefts since 2005. | Last month Defence Secretary Des Browne announced an inquiry after it emerged that a Royal Navy laptop containing 600,000 people's details had been stolen - and there had been two similar thefts since 2005. |
| In December it emerged that details of three million British learner drivers, held on a computer hard drive, had gone missing in the US. | In December it emerged that details of three million British learner drivers, held on a computer hard drive, had gone missing in the US. |