TODAY’S news that a seven- year-old child has been placed on the National DNA Database by Merseyside Police will come as a shock to many people.

Why said youngster is on the database we do not know, but their inclusion has sparked outrage among civil liberties campaign groups who say a child below the age of criminality should not have his DNA stored in such a manner.

Merseyside Police stand firm and say they are merely complying with legislation.

So who is right? Someone – the parent or guardian of this youngster – gave permission for the child’s DNA to be placed on the database. They obviously felt it was in the interests of the child, and perhaps of the family, for such a course of action to be taken. The police have no powers to take samples without such consent, and the rules governing their actions are stringent.

But the crux of the matter is that we simply do not know why this child’s DNA was stored, and the result is suspicion and concern that a seven-year- old is being logged in such a manner.

So it is difficult to argue with Liberty when it calls for an open debate on the issue of a National DNA database.

This, surely, is the best way forward for the Government; the police are complying with legislation, but the public needs to be given the opportunity to debate the pros and cons of this.

At the moment, there is no discussion and, consequently, a strong feeling of resentment and anger has sprung up in some quarters. This is not the first time the Daily Post has highlighted the national database, and on both instances the Freedom of Information Act was used to obtain the facts. Perhaps, if it was shrouded in less secrecy, the public might be less suspicious about its existence.