Lord Selsdon to face inquiry for breach of data protection laws
Conservative peer Lord Selsdon could be set to face a police inquiry after he said that he traced people who littered and phoned them up to reproach them, using contacts at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).
The peer said that he saw British drivers throwing rubbish out their cars while in the Alps and took down their license plates, so that his ‘friends’ at the DVLA could provide him with contact details.
However, it has been suggested that in doing so, Selsdon broke the Data Protection Act, which requires organisations including the DVLA to keep personal information secure.
The DVLA has said that if Selsdon’s account was true, a police investigation was likely.
A spokesperson for the organization stated: “We are writing to Lord Selsdon to ask him for further information. Depending on his reply we will then decide on whether or not it is necessary to conduct a full investigation.
“We take our responsibility to protect information seriously. That is why information is only provided under strict controls to those who are legally entitled to it, such as local authorities and the police.”
The peer made the remarks during a House of Lords debate.