Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of instructing the DVLA to audit car park operator records in cases where a recurring pattern of disputes over charges has been identified.

The law allows the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) to provide vehicle keeper information to parking companies so that they can contact the registered keepers of vehicles which may have been parked on private land in breach of the terms and conditions applying.

These arrangements are subject to a comprehensive range of safeguards to ensure motorists are treated fairly. Companies requesting data from the DVLA to manage private parking must belong to an appropriate accredited trade association and abide by its published code of practice. The DVLA and the Government Internal Audit Agency carry out audits on those requesting data and appropriate action will be taken if patterns are identified from complaints received.