Suspects' DNA data plans changed [UK]

The government has dropped plans to give ministers wide powers on holding innocent people's DNA data on record.

The Policing and Crime Bill had proposed allowing ministers to set time limits on holding DNA but had not set out how long these would be.

Campaigners argued that such plans would mean less parliamentary scrutiny.

The government has dropped the proposals from the bill and says it will introduce revised legislation later this autumn.

The plans relate to people arrested for suspected crimes but never charged.

A European Court of Human Rights ruling last year said the policy of retaining all suspects' data was "blanket and indiscriminate".

'Victory'

Following this ministers proposed allowing DNA details to remain on the database for up to 12 years instead of indefinitely.

They had said this would happen via a parliamentary order - which would require a vote but would be given less time for debate than a bill.

When the consultation was published earlier this year, critics said Parliament needed a full debate on the issues surrounding how many people are held on the...