Motorists' privacy set to be protected

• Stricter access to DVLA databases introduced
• Credit-card company accessed records
• Complaints procedure also introduced

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Motorists' details held on DVLA databases should be better protected under new rules introduced this week.

Until now, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency has been free to sell the information to anyone that claims 'reasonable cause' to have access to the valuable data.

The RAC Foundation says cowboy wheel clampers have been able to get information on motorists from the DVLA and dodge a licensing scheme introduced this spring in a bid to drive up standards. Late last year it had also been found that credit card company MBNA Europe had access to the database which provides names and addresses of car owners.

Now the definition of reasonable cause has been tightened so that only agencies and trade bodies with a legitimate need to contact motorists about their cars will have access. A clearer complaints procedure for motorists to pursue with the DVLA will also be put into place.

An update on how well the new systems are working will be published later in the year.

The DVLA says the £2.50 fee for every search of the database is to cover administration costs and does not turnover a profit for the agency.

• Car manufacturers have access to DVLA records in case they need to get in touch with owners to recall potentially unsafe products.

Each manufacturer has to show that records are destroyed following the recall, and that information provided by the DVLA is not used for mailbox marketing activity.