It appear registration of the car was blocked I found this explaintion on line says what blocked registrations are.
This is interesting: VARE (Victims of Animal Rights Extremism) claims you can "Apply to the DVLA to have your car registration details blocked" if you're worried about people using the DVLA database to track you down. See "How can I help myself?" at:
https://www.vare.org.uk/index.php?option ... &Itemid=29
Anyone know what this "block" involves, and what sort of access it prevents?
Here we have another official database (along with the proposed Children's Index, NHS database, Register of Directors, etc) where officialdom has (often grudgingly) conceded that people's right to privacy at least partially overrules officialdom's desire to keep nice tidy lists of people's details.
The exception? Oh yes, the proposed NIR, where apparently there will be no opt-out and no exceptions, and everyone's home address and numerous other details will be recorded.
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Andrew Watson Post subject: Posted: Fri, 05 Jan 2007 11:25:36 +0000
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Location: Cambridge Found nothing on the DVLA web site about this, so I called their enquiry line, where a very helpful chap told me:
* "This is usually used by members of the police force and people like that"
* "Nobody can access your details, not even us here in the registration centre". I pressed him on this point, asking what happens if (say) Tesco's tries to get hold of the keeper's address for a car parked in their car park, and the record is blocked. He said "The request goes to a special department called systems audit. The application has to be in writing. Systems audit makes the decision on whether to release the details. If it's something to do with law enforcement they usually get in touch with the police first. If it's just a member of the public they wouldn't be able to get the details."
* To apply, one writes a letter to "Fee-paying enquiries, DVLA, Swansea SA99 1AJ". There isn't an application form - one just put the reasons why one wants details blocked in the letter. Despite the name of the department, there's no fee for this service.
I wonder what would happen if one wrote, giving the reason "I'm a law-abiding citizen and deserve the same level of privacy available to other law-abiding citizens such as members of the police force". (I think I know the answer to that one
.
In any case, it's another useful piece of ammunition to use against the "Nothing to hide, nothing to fear" brigade. I think I feel an FOI request brewing - for the number of blocked records.
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Last edited by Andrew Watson on Fri, 05 Jan 2007 12:10:38 +0000, edited 1 time in total.
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katie Post subject: Posted: Fri, 05 Jan 2007 12:09:59 +0000
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stu2630 Post subject: Posted: Fri, 05 Jan 2007 13:13:20 +0000
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Location: Southern Sweden Quote:
I wonder what would happen if one wrote, giving the reason "I'm a law-abiding citizen and deserve the same level of privacy available to other law-abiding citizens such as members of the police force". (I think I know the answer to that one .
Just for information - ordinary members of the police force can't get their details blocked from the DVLA or PNC. This only applies to officers working in certain highly specialised roles and using their private cars in the course of their work. This probably amounts to around one in a every hundred officers, or somewhere around that figure. The rest of us have to take our chances just like the rest of the public.
Stu
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Andrew Watson Post subject: Posted: Fri, 05 Jan 2007 13:19:55 +0000
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Location: Cambridge Thanks Stu.
Have filed an FOI request to find out how many applications they get per year, how many are refused, and how many blocked records there are on the database at the moment. We'll see how forthcoming they are.
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Guest Post subject: Posted: Fri, 05 Jan 2007 15:01:24 +0000
stu2630 wrote:
Just for information - ordinary members of the police force can't get their details blocked from the DVLA or PNC.
So if you find someone's details are blocked, that is a strong clue that the keeper of the vehicle is doing sensitive work - how very secure...
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Guest Post subject: Posted: Fri, 05 Jan 2007 21:23:02 +0000
What is the difference between Tescos and an ordinary member of the public anyway? Does one have to own a certain acrerage of car park before one is elevated to the privilaged position of 'access all areas' in the DVLA data base?
Justin.
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MrBester Post subject: Posted: Mon, 08 Jan 2007 18:44:30 +0000
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Location: The Glorious Plutocratic ConDem Syndicate (Australo-Oriens locality) More importantly, why isn't this the norm? Why is there an obscure method of restricting access to this data when it should be a de facto standard?
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contra Post subject: Posted: Sun, 21 Jan 2007 19:26:39 +0000
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Posts: 7 Sparing the details I was doing an investigation in the UK about 10 years ago and I wrote to the DVLA in an attempt to trace someone. I had their car registration details (while DVLA records are often not that accurate anyhow) but nothing else.
I got the address from the DVLA by writing a letter giving the details of the registration number and the colour of the car, I said it was in persuite on an ongoing insurance claim and the police were not yet involved but if they were to become involved the details would be invaluable.
This post just reminded me of this and brought it all back!
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Andrew Watson Post subject: Posted: Fri, 02 Feb 2007 16:56:27 +0000
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Location: Cambridge Andrew Watson wrote:
Have filed an FOI request to find out how many applications they get per year, how many are refused, and how many blocked records there are on the database at the moment. We'll see how forthcoming they are.
Here are the significant sections of the email I sent them:
Quote:
This is a request under the Freedom of Information Act.
I understand that the DVLA allows information on the registered keepers of some vehicles to be "blocked", so that keeper information isn't available to the majority of DVLA staff, and public requests for such information are forwarded to your Systems Audit department for special consideration.
Could you please supply me with the following information about "blocked" vehicle records:
- The number of applications made to DVLA to use this facility, per year, for each of the years 1998 - 2006 (inclusive).
- The number of such applications which were rejected, per year, for each of the years 1998 - 2006 (inclusive).
- The current number of blocked vehicle records.
- The current total number of vehicle records, including blocked records.
Please note that I am seeking information about the use of your "blocked records" facility, but not any information whatsoever about individual blocked records.
And here's the meat of the answer I've just received:
Quote:
You asked for the total number of vehicle records. I can confirm that for the year 2005/2006 the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency held approximately 33 million vehicle records.
The Freedom of Information Act obliges us to respond to requests promptly, in any case no later than 20 working days after receiving a request. However, when a public interest test needs to be considered, we are not required to comply with a request until such time as is reasonable in the circumstances. We do, of course, aim to make all decisions within 20 working days, including in cases where we need to consider where the public interest lies in respect of a request. Your first three questions, however, raise complex public interest considerations, which must be analysed before we can come to a decision on releasing the information.
The exemptions that are being considered are Sections 31- Law Enforcement, Section 36 – Prejudice to Effective Conduct of Public Affairs and Section 38 – Health and Safety.
We need to extend our response time limit to your first three questions by 20 working days in order to assess the public interest. Therefore, we plan to let you have a response by 29th February 2007.[sic]
... which I translate as "We don't want to tell you, but we haven't yet thought of a convincing reason why."
And no, I didn't make up the bit about 29th February.
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Andrew Watson Post subject: Posted: Thu, 01 Mar 2007 17:49:22 +0000
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Location: Cambridge Well, February 29th (known as 1st March here in the real world) duly arrived, and on the last possible day, so did the reply. Odd that. A more cynical person than I might imagine that they decided to delay the reply as long as possible to delay the start of the ensuing appeal.
Quote:
Date: 1 March 2007
Dear Mr Watson
Freedom of Information
Further to our previous letter dated 2nd February about your requests for information, please accept my apologies for the error in the date quoted for response. The target date for response should have read March 1st.
As stated in our last letter, in relation to your request for the number of licensed vehicle records held at DVLA our response is that the figure, as at 30 September 2006 was 33,522,106. As you will appreciate applications to license vehicles are received continuously and this figure is subject to constant variation.
In relation to your other requests for information, the DVLA neither confirms nor denies that it holds the information falling within the description specified in your request. After completing Public Interest Tests we consider that the duty in section (1)(1)(a) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 does not apply, by virtue of sections 31(3), 36(3) and 38(2) of that Act. This should not be taken as an indication that the information you requested is or is not held by the Agency. In relation to section 36(3), we confirm that the matter has been considered by the “qualified person” for the DVLA, who is the Secretary of State for Transport.
<administrative stuff snipped>
So despite the fact that the DVLA will tell you on the 'phone how to apply for it, they officially refuse to acknowledge that this facility exists, let alone how many people use it.
By analogy, will the Home Office similarly refuse to acknowledge leaving some people off the NIR? After all, the legislation allows, rather than compels, the Home Secretary to record our info in the NIR. If he decides that someone is in a "class of person" worthy of special protection, presumably the HO could silently leave them off, and refuse to discuss anything about the matter.
Or am I being too cynical?
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NaturalBorn Post subject: Posted: Thu, 22 Mar 2007 16:25:18 +0000
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Posts: 916 I recently received a letter from a large car dealership located on the other side of London quoting the vehicle registration number for a car I sold two years ago and reminding me it is due for its MOT inspection.
This is the first time this has occurred and as neither I nor the previous owner ever had dealings with the company concerned I can't help but wonder whether the new on-line MOT system has allowed my data to be accessed by this firm. When I phoned the company it was clear I was far from being the first to ask for my details to be removed as the receptionist anticipated the purpose of my call. No explanation was available.
Maybe this is a one off aberration, but I post here in case it chimes with anyone else's recent experience.
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Andrew Watson Post subject: Re: DVLA opt-outPosted: Sun, 30 Oct 2011 11:19:22 +0000
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Location: Cambridge While answering another post, I realised that I never posted the result of this FOI request here.
The case went to the ICO, who eventually found in my favour.
On 8th January 2009 DVLA wrote to me confirming that the "blocked records" facility exists, and that:
DVLA wrote:
As of 25 November 2008, there were 23,750 vehicle records that have restricted access.
They are at pains to point out that these records are not completely blocked from disclosure:
DVLA wrote:
DVLA can confirm that it does provide a facility that restricts access to vehicle records, but that does not discharge DVLA’s responsibility to release vehicle data. All vehicles held on DVLA’s vehicle register are subject to the provisions of the Road Vehicles (Registration and Licensing) Regulations 2002. No vehicles are “blocked” from disclosure under the provisions of these Regulations.
However, what this seems to mean in practice is that requests for address data for "blocked records" are vetted properly to make sure that the requester has reasonable cause for asking, while other records are disclosed willy-nilly, with no questions asked.
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misterdinosaur Post subject: Re: DVLA opt-outPosted: Tue, 25 Sep 2012 09:01:49 +0000
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