119. (1) For the purposes of the prevention, detection and investigation of criminal offences in a designated state, the national contact point shall allow the national contact point of that designated state access to the reference data in the automated fingerprint identification system in respect of dactyloscopic data to which this Chapter applies for the purpose of conducting an automated search of those reference data by comparing dactyloscopic data (whether identified or unidentified) in an individual case supplied by the national contact point of that designated state with those dactyloscopic data in that system to ascertain whether there is a match between them.

(2) The national contact point shall ensure that, following a search by the comparison of dactyloscopic data by the national contact point of a designated state pursuant to subsection (1), a response is sent to that national contact point, in an automated way or by such other means as is permitted by the relevant European Union or international instrument, comprising—

(a) where a match of dactyloscopic data is found—

(i) a notification of the match, and

(ii) the reference data relating to the matching dactyloscopic data in the automated fingerprint identification system,

for the purposes of confirming the match, or

(b) where a match of dactyloscopic data is not found, a notification to that effect.

(3) In this section and in section 120 “individual case” means the investigation or prosecution of an offence or offences arising from a single event, incident or circumstances but includes a case where a search for more than one piece of dactyloscopic data is required.