Biometrics Commissioner (Annual Report)

Friday 11th March 2016 Written Statements

[The Minister for Policing, Fire, Criminal Justice and Victims (Mike Penning)]

My right hon. Friend the Minister of State, Home Office (Lord Bates) has today made the following written statement:

“I am pleased to announce that today my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary is publishing the second annual report of the Biometrics Commissioner.

The Biometrics Commissioner, Alastair MacGregor QC, is appointed under Section 20 of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012. His responsibilities are:

To decide applications by the police for extended retention of DNA profiles and fingerprints from persons arrested for serious offences but not charged or convicted;

To keep under review national security determinations made by Chief Officers under which DNA profiles and fingerprints may be retained for national security purposes;

To exercise general oversight of police use of DNA samples, DNA profiles and fingerprints.

His report is a statutory requirement of section 21 of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012.”

I am grateful to Mr MacGregor for this report. No redactions to it have been made on the grounds of national security. The Government will consider it and produce a full response shortly.

Copies of the report will be available from the Vote Office.

[HCWS613]