While a written contract has not been entered into at this stage, agreement has been reached with the company concerned on terms governing the provision of probes for use in the DNA process. Under the terms agreed the Forensic Science Laboratory will undertake to use the probes and the information provided, only for forensic science case work or research within this jurisdiction. The probes and information will not be provided to third parties generally but this restriction will not apply where there is a legal obligation to disclose — for example, in criminal proceedings. Accordingly the current procedure relating to forensic evidence generally, whereby defence experts can have access to individual case tests conducted by the laboratory, will also apply to DNA profiling and will not be affected by the agreement.
Incidentally, I wish to repudiate the suggestion which seems to be implicit in the question that the staff of the Forensic Science Laboratory are not independent in the discharge of their functions in the same way as defence experts would be. Any such suggestion is quite unwarranted and without foundation.
