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21 Oct 2009 : Column 1538W—continued
James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what proportion of recorded crimes were detected using DNA profiles from the National DNA Database in 2008-09. [294209]
Mr. Alan Campbell: The number and proportion of recorded crimes detected in which a DNA match was available in 2008-09 is shown in table 1. It is also important to note that the detections are achieved through integrated criminal investigation, not through DNA alone. The source of the figures provided is the Forensic performance data, which is collected from police forces by the Home Office.
The figures for the number of crimes detected in which a DNA match was available only include crimes detected in which a DNA match was reported by the National DNA Database (NDNAD). They do not include DNA matches which arise through case work in serious crime, which usually involve comparing DNA profiles in a forensic laboratory, or DNA matches arising from one-off speculative searches of the NDNAD. Data on DNA matches from casework and speculative searches are not included in the police Forensic performance data.
The presentation of crimes detected with DNA as a proportion of total recorded crime undervalues the relative contribution of DNA to the crime detection rate. It should be noted that the majority of recorded crimes do not have a crime scene (for example, minor assault, drugs offences, theft, fraud etc.) and do not have a crime scene examination. In 2008-09, just under 797,000 crimes had a crime scene examination (17 percent of recorded crimes). In those crimes which have a crime scene examination, some do not yield any forensic material (DNA or fingerprints). In 2008-09, potential DNA material was collected at 99,402 crimes; and of these, 39,795 crimes yielded DNA crime scene samples of sufficient quantity and quality for profiling and loading to the NDNAD. Of the 39,795 crimes in which a crime scene sample profile was loaded, a match was generated in 36,727 crimes.
The proportion of 'crimes detected in which a DNA match was available', of those, 'crimes where potential DNA material was collected' is shown in table 2.
Dorset Police: Olympic Games 2012
Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the timetable is for each of the work streams relating to policing by Dorset Police of the events of the London 2012 Olympic Games to be held in Portland. [294372]
Alan Johnson [holding answer 20 October 2009] : Dorset Police are fully engaged in each of the security projects that will contribute to the safety and the security of the sailing events at Weymouth and Portland.
Funding will be released from project budgets when it is required to meet agreed operational needs, about which the Home Office is in discussion with the Association of Chief Police Officers, as well as the individual affected forces. The Home Office also needs to take into account the needs of other security agencies, affordability within the total funding available, and how to secure value for money. Funding will be kept under constant review to reflect the overall Olympic security requirement, including the needs of Dorset.
Fingerprints: Databases
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people on the national fingerprint database aged (a) under 10, (b) 10 to 15, (c) 16 to 17 and (d) 18 or more years old had no conviction, caution, formal warning or reprimand recorded on the police national computer. [294184]
Alan Johnson: The national fingerprint database does not hold criminal conviction data; it stores biometric data and basic identity details which can be used to align identity with records on the Police National Computer (PNC). The PNC is an operational tool and not designed to produce the information requested. To obtain the information would incur disproportionate cost.
Forensic Science Service
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the monetary value of work carried out at each UK Forensic Science Service centre in each of the last five years; and what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the centres in carrying out their work. [293641]
Mr. Alan Campbell: The Forensic Science Service Ltd. does not manage its revenue streams by individual sites but records its income across the company. The revenue figures from 5 December 2005, when the company was vested as a Government-owned company are:
5 December 2005 to 31 March 2007: £210,449,000
1 April 2007 to 31 March 2008: £138,001,000.
Performance by the company as a whole and at individual sites are matters for company management. The ability of the company to meet the required standards is governed by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service.
Forensic Science: Digital Technology
James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average time taken to process forensic evidence contained on computer disks and other digital media was in each police force area in the latest period for which figures are available. [294211]
Mr. Hanson: No information is collected centrally on the average time taken by police forces in England and Wales to process forensic evidence contained on computer disks and other digital media.
Identity and Passport Service: Absenteeism
Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff absences there were in the Identity and Passport Service in each month of the last 12 years. [289518]
Mr. Woolas: The available information is given in the following tables.
IPS can only provide monthly sickness statistics for two years as we do not have cleansed and validated figures for the rest of the period. Due to elapsed time, we cannot convert the raw data into a suitable format without incurring disproportionate cost.
Figures for staff employed shown are FTE (full-time equivalents) which are the data readily available, representing permanent IPS staff. The General Register Office (GRO) became part of IPS with effect from April 2008 when it moved from the Office for National Statistics. The figures that have been supplied do not include GRO as the staff records for these staff were not migrated onto the IPS system until 1 April 2009.
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