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'information on the numbers withdrawn by the DVLA'.
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Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency |
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Head of Data Sharing D16 DVLA Longview Road Swansea SA6 7JL
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Telephone |
01792 783988 |
P Smith [FOI #1271 email]
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Fax |
01792 384565 |
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Textphone |
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[email address] |
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Website |
www.direct.gov.uk/motoring |
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Your Ref |
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Our Ref |
FOI 1166 |
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Date: |
6 August 2008 |
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Dear Mr Smith
Freedom of Information
Thank you for your recent request for information received on 22 July 2008, it has been dealt with under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA).
I will answer you questions in the order in which they were asked:
Could you please supply a list of registration marks withdrawn by the DVLA following reports from members of staff or other agencies such as the Police, DSA, VOSA, members of the public, MP's etc for misrepresentation.
This information is available however it is exempt from disclosure at it falls under Section 40, paragraphs (1), (2) and (3) of the FOIA, as it relates to personal data. The person who has had their mark withdrawn or has misrepresented their mark could be identified so we would not release this information.
Section 1, paragraph (1) of the Data Protection Act 1998, states:
''personal data' means data which relate to a living individual who can be identified -
(a) from those data, or
(b) from those data and other information which is in the possession of, or is likely to come into the possession of, the data controller'
In DVLA's view, disclosure of this information would be unfair to the individual and would contravene the first data protection principle.
Could you also break down where the complaints have been received from, which led to the removal?
We are collaborating with the police to address the problem of mis-represented number plates and the police notify the Agency when they detect registration mark offences. On receipt of a police notification, DVLA warns offenders that unless the mark is correctly displayed it will be withdrawn from use. The Agency has already withdrawn a number of registration marks for this reason. In addition, where misrepresented registration marks fail to register with an Automatic Number Plate Reader (ANPR), DVLA has agreed with the police that the registration mark may be withdrawn immediately.
Finally could you please provide a list of registration marks which have been reported more than once for mis-representation?
This is also exempt as it falls under Section 40 of the FOIA. Section 40 exempts requests for information about other living individuals where the disclosure would not comply with the Data Protection Act. The individual who has mis- represented their number could be identified, (whilst acknowledging that the public interest might require the disclosure of information that would/might cause damage or distress to an individual).
If you are unhappy with the decisions made by this Agency in relation to your request, you may ask for an internal review. If you wish to complain, you should write to Mr Wynne Jones, Business Planning and Administration Group (BPAG), D16, DVLA, Longview Road, Swansea SA6 7JL or email to [email address].
If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you have the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at:
Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
If you have any queries about this letter, please contact Wynne Jones. Please remember to quote the reference above in any future communications.
Yours sincerely
Paul Jeffreys
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