DNA database grows faster than forecast

Over 5m profiles are now on the national DNA database, significantly above the level forecast two years ago.

Home Office minister Alan Campbell has released the figures in response to a parliamentary question from Sarah Teather MP. They show that on 9 January there were 5.14m profiles on the database, although the estimated number of individuals after duplicates were removed was 4.46m.

In January 2006 the Home Office published a report that said there were just over 3m profiles on the system, and predicting the figure would reach 4.25m in two years.

"The presence of replicate profiles on the NDNAD does not impact on the effectiveness and integrity of the database," Campbell said.

He also said the new figures do not reflect the removal of the 49 profiles of children under 10 years old, which was completed by early March.

The figures are broken into age groups and show that with the highest number of profiles is 25-34 with 1.56m. It is followed by the 35-44 group with 1.10m.

The breakdown by ethnic groups is dominated by north European whites with 3.99m.

This article was originally published at Kablenet.

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