Human Genetics Commission
December 18th, 2008
The Human Genetics Commission visited Cardiff last week and I was lucky enough to be invited to give a presentation about the National DNA Database on Trial Project. I was joined by 8 of the young people who participated in the project for a really interesting Q & A session with Commissioners who were keen to find out which arguments they had found most persuasive about the National DNA Database. The Commission will be reporting to government early in 2009 and they will be using some of the results of this GPU project when making their recommendations.
See dnadatabaseontrial.org.uk
Posted by Rachel Iredale | Tagged with database
DNA database bill
June 13th, 2008
Jenny Willott (Lib Dem, Cardiff Central) introduced a private members bill to Parliament on Wednesday, DNA Database (Removal of Samples). This bill, if it became law, would require information held on people who had not been charged, or who had been acquitted in court, to be removed from the National DNA Database.
Ms Willot said “We are talking about a huge number of people — 1 million of them — whose deeply private information is being held by the Government when they have not been found to have done any wrong. That goes against fundamental British principles, as well as being a massive drain on public resources for little gain, and this Bill would rectify that injustice.”
It is unlikely that this will become law because the Government do not back it, even though some individual Labour members do. One such Labour supporter is Keith Vaz MP, chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee.
The bill passed a first reading and has been granted a second reading Friday 17th October 2008. Full details of the debate can be found in Hansard.
