HC Deb 19 March 1990 vol 169 c456W
Mr. Speller

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to allow police authorities to reveal the keeper of a vehicle when a member of the public has a good reason to seek the information and has details of the vehicle registration number.

Mr. Waddington

The police obtain details of vehicle keepers as necessary for police purposes from the driver and vehicle licensing centre at Swansea. The disclosure of such information to members of the public is a matter for that organisation and there is an established procedure for this purpose. The driver and vehicle licensing centre will, on request from a member of the public and on payment of a charge of £3.50, supply the name and address of the owner of any vehicle registered with it providing that that person can show that he has reasonable cause for his request. It would not be appropriate for the police to assume the responsibilities of the driver and vehicle licensing centre for deciding whether the information should be made available.