Yet another attempt by this illiberal government to erode your freedoms by the back door. Moroever, despite the platitudes from the Home Office, there is no clear evidence that a massive increase in this datbase would have any significant impact on crime. The very idea that the government wants to have evryone's DNA is horrifying. Knowing the propensity for "function creep" and "mission creep" I certainly am not willing to place my trust in this or any future governmet not to abuse this data. The number of times in my lifetime that ministers and politicians have piously placed their hands on their hearts and sworn that "this would only be used in the most extreme circumstances" only to find that "extreme" becomes the norm, is almost uncountable.

Adrian Ryan, Donegal, Ireland

As a mother of two girls who's future is still very much ahead of them and could go in any direction, good or bad, because no matter how hard we try as parents we have very little control of the decisions our children make as adults and I believe that when children are born and the heal prick test is done that one extra sample should be taken so that DNA for each and every individual can be catalogued. I myself have NOTHING to hide in life and would be more than willing to give a sample of my blood and my DNA stored for future reference.

Sarah, North West,

My finger prints do not appear on any police database as I have never even had a parking ticket. This is as it should be. However, if I am witness to a crime, or in the wrong place at the wrong time, the police can take my DNA profile and store the information alongside the DNA of rapists, thieves and murderers without my consent. As soon as I am eliminated from a list of suspects, the records should be destroyed . I think that people will not want to be Police Witnesses to a crime if their DNA is to be logged. Surely searching the DNA Database will take longer if it is padded out with the DNA profiles of the 95% of us that commit no crimes? British Law is built on the precept of Innocent until Proven Guilty. By building a DNA Database of every man, woman and child as this Government wishes to do, they are assuming that we all will be guilty of some serious crime sometime. Big Brother is watching you!

Beryl, WINDSOR, England

What for? What about the man who appeared "innocent" until caught drink driving 5 years after he had raped a woman? If the police cannot hold innocent people's DNA they will not have such luck at catching sneaky criminals in the future. I don't mind them having my DNA if they need it, it's not like they can make a clone of me in 2007!

Chris, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire

Some sense from a Government think tank? What is the world coming to!

I fully agree with the findings of the Nuffield Council, but I am sceptical that anything will change. The police want broader powers in all areas which is understandable, but their DNA retention regime is a bridge too far in my book.

I can already hear people spouting "if you have nothing to hide you have nothing to fear". That is such a non argument its almost not worth responding to, but I will.

As the journalist mentions, DNA can be spread far and wide, why should I have to give up my time proving that my DNA was found at a crime scene for totally innocent reasons.

Anyone who cannot see that this is a shift from the powers that be having to prove guilt towards the population having to prove their innocence is quite simply blinkered and blinded by science.

sam, sussex, uk

Liberal idiots, we should have our dna taken.

d case, newquay,

"Inclusion on the database can place innocent people under suspicion" says the report.
No, only when the police are very stupid.
Aah, so that's what they're worried about.
Can I have my DNA back, please?

john, aylesbury,

To think labour is even thinking of this the cost alone to put this into place and other point is we have more cctv than any over country and is that helping crime no! i think like id cards it is taking away our freedom but were did this come from labour or the eu? we should be asking our selfs because it seems another way the eu can control us and after all they love wasting uk tax payers money :)

kelvin, teesside,

My 13yr old grandson was arrested (togeter with two other boys) for throwing pebbles in the road as a woman had complained that she had damage to her car. The boys totally denied even throwing stones near her car which a video recording supported and vehemently denied causing damage.
They were kept in a prison cell for two hours. Then photographed, fingerprinted and DNA taken.
My daughter has written to the Chief constable (Essex) to ask that the DNA etc be removed. This was in June - as yet not even an acknowledgement of the letter has been received.
The family were shocked, dismayed and distraught that this could happen and are extremely concerned that boyish, common childish behaviour has resulted in this kind of treatment which could be potentially damaging to this child's future

Kerry King, Manningtree, England Essex

The panel seems to have lost its way. Why are they talking about "public concern" as a factor, when they are supposed to *lead* opinion by their expert analysis? What is the "infringement to personal liberty" that they think occurs? And why are they passing judgement on cost-effectiveness of the national database when their remit is ethics? What we wanted to know is how often does it go wrong for an innocent person on the database, but instead we got a personal story about the chap's off-license. This is a picture of a self-indulgent committee doing more supposition than research - many meetings, not much actual work. "DNA evidence must be handled with care"...oh, really!!!

Nigel Robertson, Melton Mowbray,

If the government stopped being underhand & sneaky & was upfront & made it compulsory that everyone in the UK (including visitors) had to give their DNA sample to be kept on a national Database (including Scotland) then I wouldnt object to my DNA being taken, as this database would assist in detecting offenders & identify everyone in the UK. But as long as its the case that giving DNA is not compulsory then the government shouldnt encourage DNA samples to be taken surreptitiously by police from anyone they come into contact with for non recordable (non imprisonable) offences or misdemeanours such as traffic offences or being spoken to in the course of an inquiry. At present fingerprints taken by police in normal circumstances are destroyed if the case doesnt go to court or if no conviction is achieved. The only thing that this sneaky DNA policy is doing is make money for sleazy defence solicitors who represent people (probably on legal aid) to get their DNA taken off the DNA Database

Lynda Plum, London, england

I would suggest that all those who think that it's a good idea to have a compulsory DNA database because "Only the guilty will have anything to fear", including, and especially, the judiciary, politicians and the other guardians of the law, should volunteer their own for the database. Here's an interesting question you might care to follow up, how many of these supporters have actually done this?

Bill Q, Derby,

A DNA database will be the completion of Labour's Police totalitarian surveillance state where individual liberties count for nothing.

Michael Boughton-Fox, Cambridge, England

The Lord High Chief Justice of Justices His Honourable Gracious M'Lud Sir Stephen Sedley says that we should all be on it. Is he? Or does he mean just 'us' not 'them'?

eric campell, harrogate, uk