DVLA FACES DRIVER DETAILS SALE PROBE

The driver and vehicle la) could face an inquiry by the information watchdog after it emerged that it released personal details of 23 million motorists last year.

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has confirmed that it is looking into issues around the sharing of driver data to third parties after motoring groups questioned the scale of information sharing and the legitimacy of some of the requests.

According to the times, half of the requests were made by local councils but the DVLA also made almost £20 million in 2018 from sharing vehicle keeper details with other groups such as private parking firms, bailiffs and private investigators.

The data represents the records of almost two thirds of vehicle owners in the the level of sharing has led to questions about whether the practice abides by the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) introduced last year.

The ICO said it had not yet launched an investigation but that it was“aware of the issues around the sharing of registered keepers details between thedv la and private parking companies, and[ was] currently considering if and how new data protection laws affect this data sharing”.

The DVLA told the Times it had “strict controls” in place for data sharing and had made comprehensive preparations to meet GDPR requirements.

Edmund King, president of the AA, said: “It is absolutely astonishing. At a time when there are so many sensitivities around data, it just seems baffling that any old Tom, Dick or Harry can get hold of this data.”