The Liberal Democrats today revealed statistics showing that innocent people from ethnic minorities are three times more likely to have had their DNA samples put on the national database. The UK has the largest database of citizens’ DNA in the world. Millions of people have their DNA information stored on police databases - at least five times higher as a proportion of population than any other country.

The police have the power to take and store DNA from everyone they arrest, even if that person is released without any charge. Once DNA is on the database, it can’t be taken off, even if the person is proved to be innocent in court. In some areas, innocent people from ethnic minorities are over eight times more likely to have had their DNA samples taken.

The figures, which were obtained in a written answer to a Parliamentary Question by Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Nick Clegg MP, show the number of people who are arrested and have their DNA kept by the police, despite no further action being taken. The statistics are broken down by ethnicity and region.

Commenting, Nick Clegg said: “These latest statistics are worrying on two counts. First because they confirm yet again the massive scale of the DNA information held on people who were not even charged with an offence, let alone convicted. This further blurs the fundamental distinction between innocence and guilt that Labour has undermined.

“Second, because of the shocking disproportion of DNA information held on members of our ethnic minority communities, even those who have committed no crime.

“This will serve to inflame suspicions that our black and ethnic minority communities are being subject to intrusive police surveillance not applied to other communities.”

Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson in the Lords, Navnit Dholakia said: “The collection and retention of DNA samples from those not convicted or not proceeded with in courts is unacceptable. The Labour Government has further eroded the rights and liberty of the individual. There is evidence that minorities are more often stopped and searched and yet a very small proportion of them end up in the Criminal Justice process.

“The Government action is unlikely to build confidence in their ability to ensure that there is no discrimination in the way samples are collected and retained. This will further damage the sensitive relationship between the police and black and ethnic minority people.”