THE suggestion by an English police leader that a debate should begin on the future establishment of a DNA data base covering the entire UK population has been met with caution and scepticism, writes James Freeman, Home Affairs Correspondent.

The general view in Scotland appears to be that Chief Superintendent Peter Gammon, president of the Police Superintendents' Association in England and Wales, was travelling too far, too fast, when he hoisted the idea.

A more cynical view is that he was headline-grabbing on behalf of his organisation at a time when the English police establishment is lagging behind Scotland in the establishment and use of modern forensic techniques.

Mr Gammon said yesterday that setting up a national data base would make investigation of serious crime more efficient and cheaper.

''You have serial killers on the loose, serial rapists, and if you can identify them at their first offence people's lives could be saved. Obviously it could not be achieved overnight - there are financial, ethical, and civil liberties considerations and the need for safeguards. But I am asking that it be given a cool and frank discussion over a period of time.''

The current national DNA data base already holds 250,000 samples from people charged, cautioned, or convicted, and is reportedly allowing more than 300 matches a week.

One leading Scottish forensic scientist told The Herald: ''The current data base will eventually reach something like saturation point because the vast majority of criminals are repeat offenders. By concentrating on offenders, the Government has arguably gone down the right road.''

Mr Douglas Keil of the Scottish Police Federation said that a DNA data base of the entire population would undoubtedly make the police job easier.

''If all our birthdays came at once we could also issue everyone with identity cards and collect everyone's fingerprints. Realistically, the logistics of collection, the costs and issues of privacy, and civil liberties are only a few of the obvious problems - and I am sure there would be others,'' he said.

Chief Superintendent Jack Urquhart, president of the Scottish Police Superintendents' Association, said his body would support a wider feasibility study as a first step.

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