The recording of fingerprints had not changed for over a century until in 1991, when the Home Office gave permission for a small number of police forces to form a consortium to develop an Interim digital system. This was until 30th June 2001 when it would be replaced by a national system which, in addition to England and Wales, would include Scotland.
Not wanting to wait for a decade, the 'Interim Solution' grew to include 37 of the 43 police forces...