§ Mr. Freudasked the Prime Minister what co-ordination of computer-held information currently exists between officials of the Department of Transport and officials of the Department of Health and Social Security.
§ The Prime MinisterThe Department of Transport has no access to computer-held information of the Department of Health and Social Security and there are no computer links between the two Departments. The Department of Health and Social Security is not allowed access to any driver's records held by the Department of Transport.
However, the Secretary of State for Transport does have a statutory obligation under regulation 15 of the Road Vehicles (Registration and Licensing) Regulations 1971 to supply details of a vehicle from his Department's vehicle records to anyone who can show reasonable cause. On the basis of this legal obligation, nominated officials in the Department of Health and Social Security are allowed to request information from vehicle records for the purpose of investigating possible criminal offences.