HOW nice to hear some more common sense from our own area in the form of Lord Mackenzie of Framwellgate (a former chief superintendent with Durham Police) renewing the idea of taking DNA from all new babies.

It beggars belief why money has not been allocated in this direction rather than wasted on ID cards.

Apart from newly-borns, the idea could be rolled out over, say, ten years, to be included on all new passport and driving licence applications, not to mention anyone wanting to come into this country.

The deterrent factor, long-term, would be enormous. Children would be brought up to realise that whatever they did they would more than likely leave their mark.

Why is the Government so weak when it comes to standing up to these do-gooders who object to crime prevention, claiming "human rights" and "civil liberties"?

I reckon only a tiny percentage of the population would object to a DNA bank and still the Government listens to no-hope do-gooders.

Prohibitive cost has been suggested, but I smell profiteering and money making, which also accounts for the high cost of ID cards.

The downside, of course, is that more criminals would be caught and the prisons would overflow.

Fred Henderson, Durham City.