Information piracy: DVLA discloses details of over 5.3 million drivers since 2002

Information piracy: DVLA discloses details of over 5.3 million drivers since 2002

A Scottish nationalist MSP has called for a review into the disclosure of personal information by the DVLA to private companies, following the revelation that over 1.3 million sets of drivers’ details were passed to companies in 2007.

Christine Grahame MSP urgently called for the review after she was contacted by a number of her constituents who had received bogus, threatening fine notices from parking enforcement companies.

The UK Government agency, which maintains drivers’ details for the purpose of enforcement and taxation, can pass on information to firms who have ‘reasonable cause’ for tracing car owners, such as parking companies and insurance firms.

Grahame, who used a Freedom of Information request to discover that over 5.3 million drivers have had their details passed on since 2002/03, accused the DVLA of “recklessly disclosing” data and not making any checks as to how the information it passes to companies is used and subsequently stored.

She comments: “The reckless disclosure of personal driver information by the DVLA amounts to information piracy by a major government agency."

DVLA ‘recklessly disclosing’ data says MSP (Precision Marketing, 21 January 2008)