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DVLA made £10m by selling on millions of drivers'

The agency which collects drivers' private details pocketed £10million last year by selling them on to parking and clamping firms.

Names, addresses and vehicle details held by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency were sold at a rate of around 50,000 a week – 2.4million in a year.

Most went to firms which send 'penalty notices' to motorists who overstay in supermarket, shopping centre or hospital car parks, often demanding in excess of £100.



Controversial revenue: Critics are accusing the Government of putting 'profit before privacy'

As enforcement is done secretly using CCTV cameras with number plate recognition, many drivers only learn of their 'infringement' when a bill drops through their letterbox. Non-payment can lead to a string of threatening letters.

Online consumer forums reveal many of the firms involved are frequently complained about for their heavy-handed tactics.

Companies are able to employ clampers using the purchased details, and finance and insurance firms also take advantage of access to the DVLA's computer system.

  Critics say the Government agency is putting 'profit before privacy' by selling data without rigorous checks on its use.

Graham Stringer, a Labour MP on the Commons Transport Select Committee, said: 'I do think some of the firms buying the DVLA's information are crooks, and certainly in the past they have used violent and threatening behaviour, and I don't think that is the right thing for the DVLA to be doing.

'Even when firms are approved there is no proper way of examining them. This is wrong and improper use of people's private information.'


Data for sale: The DVLA sold names, addresses and vehicle details at a rate of around 50,000 a week

Nick Pickles of Big Brother Watch said: 'The DVLA has a direct financial interest in more people having access to our data, so it's no wonder they seem entirely unwilling to take concerns about abuse seriously.

'Little is being done to fix the underlying problem that it is simply too easy for people to get access [to data]'.

It was a windfall year for the DVLA, which has made more than £20million selling details in the past three years.

In 2010, it made £2.4million, rising to £9million in 2011. Last year that grew again to £10.4million, figures show.

More than half of this – £5.9million – was from allowing approved firms access to the register of vehicle owners for £2.50 per check.

The biggest user of the DVLA database is Parking Eye, which last year spent £899,000 to get details of drivers, an increase of £208,000 on 12 months earlier.



Catching motorists: Companies are able to employ clampers using details purchased from the DVLA

Other big users include Experian Aldermaston (£746,190), Ranger Services (£624,160), Town & City Parking (£245,070), HPI Ltd Equifax (£226,988) and Roxburghe UK Ltd (£218,903). Firms that spent over £100,000 include Excel Parking Services, Creative Car Park and G24 Ltd.

Excel Parking Services was exposed by the BBC's Watchdog programme last year for fining motorists unfairly after ignoring a court ruling its signs were unclear.

Twelve firms – together sold a million customer details – have been suspended from accessing the register since 2006.

But in 2011 it emerged Observices Parking Consultancy, which was handed a court fine of £29,850 and branded 'recklessly unfair', was subsequently sold thousands more driver details by the agency.

A DVLA spokesman said: 'Information is only provided under strict controls. If it is brought to our attention that a company does not meet necessary standards, we will investigate.'If allegations are proven we will stop the release of keeper information to them. We do not make a profit on this service – the fee merely covers the cost of processing applications.'

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