To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many UK nationals had police files opened on them in England and Wales without criminal proceedings being instigated against them in 2005-06.

The information requested is not collected centrally. Each police force maintains local records which may be opened for a wide variety of reasons relating, for example, to individuals as witnesses, victims or suspects of crime. Individuals may also come to the attention of the police as missing persons. In addition records on an individual may be held by more than one force.