I appreciate my hon. Friend's initial remark. He is right to focus on the accuracy of the data, as Her Majesty's inspectorate of constabulary did in its report which appeared on the record in July 2000. We entirely share those concerns, as do the Association of Chief Police Officers, the inspectorate and the Information Commissioner, formerly the Data Protection Commissioner. We therefore welcome the work of ACPO in producing a compliance strategy for forces to implement. All forces have been required to submit action plans to the inspectorate, since when the plans have undergone analysis by the inspectorate. Home Office officials and representatives of ACPO and the inspectorate have met the Information Commissioner to map out a plan of further action, which we hope will lead to a very significant improvement.

My hon. Friend has rightly raised a key question, as did the Select Committee on Home Affairs in its report. We are giving the issue the highest priority in the implementation of the Criminal Records Bureau.