HC Deb 04 February 1991 vol 185 cc4-5W
Mr. Cohen

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) when was the last time he met the data protection registrar to discuss the disclosure of personal information from the DVLA to third parties; whether the data protection registrar was invited to make a submission to the road traffic law review committee; and whether he will make a statement;

(2) whether he will make it his policy to inform drivers that items of their personal information will be transferred to the new police national computer; and whether he will make a statement;

(3) whether he will place the report of the Road Traffic Law Review Committee, that includes the discussions and recommendations that relate to the disclosure of information from the DVLA to the new police national computer, in the Library.

Mr. Chope

The DVLA and the Department in general regularly consult the Office of the Data Protection Registrar about proposed legislation which might affect or be affected by the Data Protection Act 1984.

DVLA registrations under the Data Protection Act 1984 indicate that details from both the vehicle and driver registers are given to the police. Therefore, as the planned changes for providing the police with additional information from the DVLA driver register do not require consultation with the Data Protection Registrar he was not invited to make a submission to the road traffic law review committee.

It would not be appropriate to undertake the substantial cost of informing individual drivers about the change in practice which is in line with the registration.

A copy of the road traffic law review report is in the Library. The relevant reference is paragraph 3.43.