§ Lord Greavesasked Her Majesty's Government:
What documents are acceptable as proof of identity of asylum seekers and refugees who are applying for a provisional driving licence; whether these included the SAL1 and SAL2 documents issued by the Immigration and Nationality Directorate when an asylum seeker first enters the country and the National Asylum Support Service 35 document issued by the Home Office when an asylum seeker is given leave to remain; and, if not, why not. [HL2816]
§ Lord Falconer of ThorotonThe photocard driving licence is a very secure document. In line with the Government's policy of combating identity fraud and illegal working, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) needs to be assured of the identity of applicants before driving licences are issued. The Home Office has advised that standard acknowledgement letters and the National Asylum Support Service 35 document do not convey the identity of the holder securely enough to allow the agency to accept these papers as sole evidence of identity.
The Government recognise the problems faced by those who arrive in this country without any identity documents. In these circumstances, DVLA will consider a combination of a wide range of alternative documentation and the papers mentioned above would be acceptable as individual elements in this process. Other examples might include national identity cards, utility bills and bank statements.