§ Lord Lipseyasked Her Majesty's Government:
Why the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency asks customers to send it their passports when applying for a driving licence; and [HL2031]
Why, and following what risk assessment, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency refuses to accept photocopied documents in support of licence applications. [HL2033]
§ Lord Falconer of ThorotonAs the driving licence now contains a photograph, identity checks have been tightened up compared with those previously made for paper licences. In line with the Government's policy on combating identity fraud, all drivers are required to provide evidence of identity such as a passport or birth certificate.
Applicants for photocard driving licences were initially permitted to supply photocopies of identity documents. As the Government's strategy on fraud prevention evolved, the risks of accepting photocopied documents rather than originals became apparent. This gave rise to the current requirement to provide original documents. Once a driver has provided proof of identity they will not normally need to do so again.