Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what controls exist relating to the release of information on vehicle ownership held by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) takes the security of the data it holds very seriously and has measures in place to protect it. The law allows vehicle keeper details to be disclosed in certain circumstances, including as a first point of contact to establish where liability for an incident or event may lie.

All DVLA’s data release services are subject to a formal assessment before they are made available for use. This ensures that there are adequate policies as well as procedural and technical controls in place to protect the data. Privacy Impact Assessments are also completed to identify and address any privacy risks and ensure that personal data is processed in compliance with the law.

An audit carried out earlier this year by the Information Commissioner’s Office confirmed that the DVLA’s procedures offer high assurance that processes are in place to mitigate the risks of non-compliance with the Data Protection Act.