§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement concerning the privacy implications arising from the commercial use of personal data held by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency and obtained via statute, and the disclosure to police computers of digitised photographs on the driving licence.
§ Mr. Kenneth CarlisleConsideration is being given to the eventual use of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency's database for commercial purposes. The concerns of individuals receiving third party mail have been recognised. Any decision will take these and the requirements of the Data Protection Act into account.
The police have access to the driver licensing records for law enforcement purposes under the terms of the Road Traffic Act 1988. This removes any data protection restriction on such statutory disclosure. Photographs of drivers will eventually form part of those records and the Data Protection Registrar will be consulted on the implications.