DVLA database details sold to criminals - implications for the proposed National Identity Register

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The Mail on Sunday has been investigating the scandal of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency

DVLA sells your details to criminals by MARTIN DELGADO, ROB LUDGATE and MARK NICHOL, Mail on Sunday 08:16am 27th November 2005

The Government is selling the names and home addresses of motorists on its drivers' database to convicted criminals, a Mail on Sunday investigation has revealed.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) tells would-be wheel-clampers there is "no problem" with them buying drivers' home addresses - even if they have a criminal record.

Indeed, the two bosses of one clamping firm on the list of companies to whom the DVLA is happy to sell drivers' details are currently serving seven years' jail between them for extorting money from motorists.

The Mail on Sunday has now forced the DVLA to hand over its list of 157 firms which can buy personal information about drivers at £2.50 a time. All the companies need do is tap in a registration plate, and back comes the full name and address of the vehicle's owners.

THe DVLA has issued a Press Statement which tries to claim that they are not at fault. If it is not their fault, then who else can be blamed ? ?

This is not the first scandal which has betrayed what should be private personal data e.g. DVLA database compromised by animal rights extremists

No senior officials or Ministers responsible for such scandals have been disciplined or have resigned.

If the DVLA cannot effectively prevent abuse when they deal with fewer than 150 companies, then what chance is there for the Government to be able to assure us about the controversial proposed National Identity Register ? According to the Home Office ID Card "Procurement Strategy Market Sounding" documents will have 265 Government Departments and 44,000 private sector organisations "accredited" to be linked to the system !

The Mail on Sunday claim that they " have forced" the DVLA to reveal this information, presumably with a Freedom of Information Act request.

The Mail on Sunday has published the names of 156 Companies in two parts: (A-L) and M-Z, to which the DVLA are selling motorists vehicle data and registered owner (often home) address information to.

The Mail on Sunday list does not include other vast users of the DVLA systems such as Capita plc, who are subcontracted to run the controversial London Congestion Charge scheme on behalf of Transport for London. We have been asking questions about how this data is handled by Capita, since before the inception of the scheme.

Are the DVLA also selling such data to say, Sainsbury's supermarkets or other Petrol retailers which use Automatic Number Plate recognition ?

What is the true extent of the DVLA sales of our private data to commercial enterprises ?

64 Comments

I am struggling to see the equivalence betwen the DVLC database and the proposed National Identity Register (NIR).

For DVLC, the enquiries are of the address of the Registered Keeper. Provision of this is a major function of DVLC, and is obviously necessary for dealing with parking, speeding and other traffic violations, where the perpetrator is no longer present (or is not co-operative).

All use of the NIR, excepting that for police and national security purposes, should be to confirm (or deny) correctness of information provided by the registered person (or someone claiming to be them). Thus no additional information need be extracted from the NIR. While this is not the only way that the NIR could be operated, in providing identification services, it strikes me as the best thing, to avoid concerns over infringement of personal privacy.

Further thoughts on the operation of the NIR (and whole NIdS) can be found at: http://www.camalg.co.uk/tk051116a/TK051116A_bcs_02.pdf

Best regards

Nice comment piece in yesterday's Times from Libby Purves on the DVLA activities and the link with the ID card proposals: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,1056-1895065,00.html

@ Ian Thanks for that reference Ian - it leads to the Parliamentary Question asked by LibDem MP Norman Baker:

http://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2005-11-28b.31879.h&m=1680#g31879.q0

which reveals that the number of requests which the DVLA is selling "citing reasonable cause" is averaging at about 79,000 a month.

@ Nigel - The equivalence between the DVLA systems and the proposed National Identity register is simply that the DVLA is an example of a current large scale UK Government system, although far smaller than the proposed National Identity Register.

The failure of the DVLA to protect what the vast majority of people assume to be private personal data, and their jobsworth bureaucratic denial of any responsibility and the buck passing e.g. "the Information Commissioner is aware of what we are doing", does not instill any confidence in the proposed NIR.

Why is the DVLA selling this information to car clampers ? Even the DVLA press release says that

"DVLA information is not needed for wheel clamping"

http://www.dvla.gov.uk/whats_new/Release_of_data.htm

The "blind oracle" approach, merely confirming or denying what is stored on the proposed National Identity Register has its attractions.

However, there are no large scale Government or commercial systems for confirming say, name and address, which have been implemented in this way at the moment - why should a system as massive as the proposed NIR be the first experiment ?

N.B. the credit card authorisation system does work simply accept or reject a sales transaction, without giving details of credit limit or name and address etc., but it relies on one single number, which is not what any NIR Verification Service would have to deal with.

There are huge practical difficulties even with "simple" names and addresses.

There are countless online systems which insist that your credit card or your phone number or your postcode must be entered in a particular format, typically without any spaces or dashes which make it easier for a human being to remember or to type them in correctly.

Even within Governemnt Departments, there are a staggering number of different name and address formats, which have grown up organically over the years.

A "blind oracle" confirm/deny approach is very brittle and prone to false denials caused by different name and address formats etc. Even a tiny number of such false denials is unnacceptable if the NIR is used to control access to Government services to which a citizen is already entitled.

Even if there are mostly automated systems in place, in real life there will still have to be human operators who have access to a screen with the full NIR record information fields against which the automated comparisons are made, so that they can use their human intelligence to verify the details presented.

Where there are human operators, then the DVLA type abuses and risks to the supposedly "gold standard" identity theft proof NIR records will apply.

If you solve this problem, then much of "joined up e-government" becomes feasible, and it does not need a centralised biometric database.

links to the Daily Mail articles are broken - any chance of adding the list of companies to your article here?

Associated Newspapers online archives are possibly the worst of the major UK newspapers. If they have chosen to take the two lists A-L and M-Z offline, they should explain why, rather than just display an "article not fouind" error message:

1. 1st National Security Services - Security guards and contractors, based in Southport, Lancashire.

2. A-1 Credit Control - A company spokesman said most of their work was in a bailiff capacity, enforcing the non-payment of parking fines.

3. Ace Security Services Based in Fulham, west London. Registered with Companies House

4. A C P (Area Car Parks) UK Ltd

5. AIC (Allied International Credit UK Ltd)

6. Always Security Group

7. AJC Security Ltd

8. Antler Security - Managing Director John Morley said, "We haven't used this facility with the DLVA for five years and we don't do clamping. This is a private investigations firm. I was not aware that the company was on this up-to-date list. The system is clearly open to misuse. It stinks."

9. APCOA - Processes hundreds of parking tickets for local authorities using the DVLA database. The company is based in Sunbury on Thames, Middlesex. A company spokesman confirmed it used the DVLA service.

10. Aquarius Securities

11. AS Securi-t

12. A Williams Parking Solutions

13. BGS Services Ltd

14. Beaver Property Management (BPM)

15. Borough Parking Enforcement - A private company registered in Harrow, Middlesex. 16. Boyd Johnson

17. Bransby Wilson Parking - Managing Director Christopher Wilson said: "It is crazy that for a Government organisation there are not tighter checks on who has access to this information. We are a properly run company and comply with the data protection regulations. I read The Mail on Sunday's piece last week and it was very interesting."

18. Brittania Parking Ltd

19. BTI Car Park Management

20. Car Park Securities (UK) Ltd

21. Canalside Car Park

22. Canary Wharf Group PLC - A company spokeswoman said: "As this matter pertains to security issues we are not prepared to comment." 23. Carillon Court

24. Car & Vehicle Clamping & Towing Services

25. Castleford Management

26. CCK Securities

27. CCP County Car Parks

28. Central Ticketing

29. City Parking Services - The company, based in Oxford, was dissolved in September 2005.

30. Clearway Parking

31. Close Credit Management Ltd

32. CMS UK LTD - Previously registered in Ponteland, Tyne and Wear, the company was dissolved in 2003.

33. Control Security Ltd

34. CPM

35. CPS (Carparking & Select Services Ltd) - Listed by Companies House in Alfreton, Derbyshire. No answer when called by The Mail on Sunday.

36. Crabtree Property Management

37. Creative Car Park Management - Listed by Companies House and based in central London. Company spokesman confirmed it used the DVLA service.

38. Classic Security (UK) Ltd - Listed by Companies House in Godalming, Surrey. No response when called by The Mail on Sunday.

39. Cross Gates Shopping Centre

40. County Parking Enforcement Agency Ltd (CPEG) Listed by Companies House and based in Northampton.

41. County Vehicle Enforcement Agency (CVEA)

42. Dairy Walk Car Parks

43. DHP Estate (Dee Hills Park Residents Assoc)

44. Dealergem - Listed by Companies House and based in Pinner, Middlesex.

45. Debt Managers (Interaction Services)

46. Denver Security Services - Listed by Companies House and based in Uxbridge, Middlesex.

47. Desiman Ltd - Listed by Companies House and based in Westcliff on Sea, Essex.

48. De Vere Parking Services

49. Dudrich Holdings Ltd - Listed by Companies House and based in Southgate, north London.

50. Duel Investigations & Security Services Ltd - Listed by Companies House and based in Ilfracombe, Devon.

51. EFPN

52. Eaton Securities PLC - Listed by Companies House and based in south London.

53. ECI (European collections & Investigations Ltd)

54. Edgware Installation Office

55. Enabled Parking Ltd - Listed by Companies House and based in Yardley, Birmingham.

56. Euro Car Parks - Listed by Companies House and based in central London.

57. Excel Parking

58. Extra Security

59. Fuglers Solicitors (Observices) - Based on Charlotte Street, central London. 60. G24 LTD - Listed by Companies House and based in Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire.

61. G & M Carparks

62. Gisby Harrison

63. Guard Dog Security Services - Listed by Companies House and based in Kent.

64. GWP George Watt Ltd - Listed by Companies House and based in London.

65. HTEC - Listed by Companies House and based in Southampton.

66. IGM Surveillance

67. I S Management - Dissolved, February 2004 according to Companies House. Previously based in central London.

68. Idlewells Shopping Centre (2003 Estate Company)

69. JRT - Listed by Companies House and based in Barnsley, Yorkshire.

70. Julian Chitty Ltd

71. KML - Listed by Companies House and based in Flintshire, North Wales. 72. LCP (Legion Security Plc)

73. LFC Farmclear

74. L P Properties - Listed by Companies House and based in central London.

75. Local Parking Security (LPS) - They are specialists in the management and control of parking areas but refused to confirm whether they have access to the DVLA database.

76. London Clamping Company - This company does wheelclamping and car removal. It also supplies parking permits and wheel clamps. The firm refused to comment on whether it has access to or use the DVLA database.

77. Macrae York & Thompson - This company provides security and does private investigation work. They confirmed that they do have access to the DVLA database but use it "very occasionally".

78. MBC Parking Solutions

79. MBNA Europe - Credit card issuer. They categorically deny using the DVLA database, have no recollection of ever doing so and insisted that they should not be on the list. Spokesman Paul Lawler said: "I can't find any evidence that we use the DVLA and I categorically deny that we do." The DVLA later said that access was granted because the firm has a private car park.

80. Merseyrail - An urban rail transport network. They confirmed that they do have access to the DVLA database. 81. MET Parking Services - Car-park managers, they confirmed that they do have access to the DVLA database.

82. Meteor Car Parking Ltd - Car-park managers.

83. Metro Park Management Solution

84. Metro Parking Professionals

85. Millrose Ltd

86. Monsoon

87. Moor Park (1958) Ltd - Residents Property Management. They confirmed that they do have access to the DVLA database.

88. John Mortimer Property Management - They work in block and estate management. They confirmed that they do have access to the DVLA database.

89. National Car Parks NCP - Car park operation. They confirmed that they do have access to the DVLA database.

90. National Clamps Car-clamping - They confirmed that they do have access to the DVLA database.

91. Nationwide Parking Services

92. Nettmedia Ltd

93. Network Direct

94. Northern Rail Limited

95. Night Hawk Security Services

96. NU-TRI 24 - 7

97. OPC (Observices Parking Consultancy Ltd)

98. Oscar Faber

99. PCCI (or Edgware Installation Office)

100. PCS Parking Control Services

101. PCS Parking Control Services (Thames Valley Clamping)

102. PECS Vehicle Management Services

103. PPS Premier Parking

104. Parkforce (Wilsea Services)

105. (The) Parking Agency - They enforce driving regulations and operate car parks. They confirmed that they do have access to the DVLA's database.

106. (The) Parking Enforcer - They enforce driving regulations and operate car parks. They confirmed that they do have access to the DVLA's database.

107. Parking Control Management - They do wheelclamping. They confirmed that they do have access to the DVLA's database.

108. Parking Control Removals

109. Parking Partners

110. Peverel OM - Property management

111. Playfield Management

112. Prestbury Management Ltd (Waterdale Centre) - This is a shopping centre in Doncaster.

113. Price Parking Management Ltd

114. Private Parking Clearance

115. Property Management Co.

116. RCP (Regional Car Parks)

117. Ranger Services

118. Redroute

119. Regent Security Solutions Ltd - They provide security services. They confirmed that they do have access to the DVLA's database.

120. Rossendale CB Ltd

121. Roxburghe International Plc - Debt collection agency.

122. S J Parking Control

123. S.I.A. Security Services

124. Sanctuary Housing - A housing association.

125. Sapphire Security (Southwest) Ltd - They are a company offering home security.

126. Saxon Weald - A housing association.

127. Scorp-sec Limited (Southern Homes)

128. Scott & Mears - Debt collection company

129. Seager Enterprises Ltd - On companies house, they remove clamped and burnt out vehicles from private property. They confirmed that they do have access to the DVLA's database.

130. Secure a Space

131. Secure Car Parks

132. Shadow Security Systems Ltd

133. Securi-t (Previously known as Simpli Parking Services) - Their services encompass car park and traffic control solutions.

134. Speirs Parnie

135. Step Property Limited

136. Sureways Parking

137. Swan Centre

138. T D Promotions

139. Torbay Coast & Countryside Trust

140. Town & City Parking Ltd

141. Trethowans

142. T & S Parking Services

143. UK Parking Control Ltd

144. UK Parking Patrol Ltd

145. UK Parking/Penalty Administration Ltd

146. Vehicle Clamping Securities Ltd

147. Vehicle Control Services

148. Vinci Park Services

149. Vista Guards (Vista Spitalink Ltd)

150. Waltham Forest Housing Association Ltd

151. Warwichshire Parking Control

152. Welling & Partners Ltd

153. Western Parking

154. The Wheelclamping Co Ltd

155. Wheel Lock Ltd

156. Wheel Lock Securities

i was sent a fine for £170 for parking at a aldi car park.

the car is registered in my name.

my partner has had the car registered to transport her disabled parent around.

if they even looked at the servalance cameras footage the would fine that on the date that i was suppost to park in their car park they would fine that two women were in the car at the time and one disabled.

not i repeat not by buying my information for £2.50. from the dvla. and charge me £170. for 15 minutes over the time. due to a disable person wanting to doe shopping in the store. using only the stores car park.

if the company wants to charge custmers for parking they should use a pay and display system.

not charge the cars owner for £170 for a layout cost of £2.50 buying my details from the dvla which is a goverment company which i pay taxes and road tax to support.

one unhappy customer of the goverment system.
criminals buying my information for the cost of £2.50.

The DVLA are currently publishing this list as a word document, along with a press release promising a consulation paper, here:

http://www.dvla.gov.uk/whats_new/whats_new.htm

Interesting - the DVLA lists another company:

157 Wilsea Services Ltd Zonehold

Note how these are only parking companies or for corporate carparks.

Where are the Petrol Retailers and Supermarkets which use Automatic Number Plate Recognition ?

Where is Capita plc / Transport for London for the London Congestion Charge ?

Who else are they selling or giving away our data to ?

I am one of those motorists currently under the "cosh" of these private car park management companies.
I made the mistake of using an Aldi car park twice in one day. The CCTV captured my entry on the first visit and my exit after the second. Surprise, surprise it didn't record my departure and re-entry between the two. They won't release the tape but just issue threatening demands for payment. Any suggestions?

If you have been on the receiving end of information being handed out by the DVLA, please contact tom@flametv.co.uk We are keen to get these practices out to an even wider audience on ITV.

I have been on the receiving end of hassle from ECI (on your list of DVLA users). This is the only way in which they could have accessed my new address - even my old neighbours don't know where I live, so I can only assume that ECI bought my info from DVLA.

i got clamped by premier parking servies they coned me 340 pounds ten min over on my time the law should have a set fee for all these crooked clampers

I received 2 fines for parking in aldi carpark apparently captured on cctv
No notices were issued on my car so I was totally unaware of the new parking rules as the signs are so small and not noticable on my route in and out of the carpark.Is this enforcable as I would say I didnt enter into an agreement due to the fact I didnt notice that the signs had changed there conditions of parking from for Aldi customers to restricted parking

I have just received a £170 fine from UK Parking Contrl Ltd, along the lines of previous correspondants, for parking over 2 hrs in a Boots car park. I called the CAB who tell me that you have to pay up, as it is totally legal. However, Boots tell me they are trying to get out of the contract due to the outrageous fines, and since they gave the company notice they are sending out these fines even if you are 5 minutes over time. No one locally had refused and been taken to court, which the CAB say would not result in a criminal charge but would leave you being awarded costs against you ergo more expensive than paying the fine in the first place!

I parked in a pub car park for 10mins just while i ran across the road to draw some money out. There were no signs to begin with but on my return there was a huge chalk board put up saying 'customers only' within this 10mins a parking ticket was put on my car and a letter sent to my house asking for £87 for not using the pub and not displaying a permit!?!?!??! The company was EFPN?? no telephone number has even been given for me to contact them! does anyone know anything about this company?

hi
i dont know if you can help but i need to know if this is possible.
i had an incident on the road with 2 home boys who [after following me to the garage]said that they got my details from the DVLA and that they were coming to burgle my house later.
is this possible?
if so, why is this possible?
regards
paul

Paul - report this threat to the police. If these two are making a habit of this sort of threat then something might be done. It is unlikely, but possible that they have access to DVLA data. Most burglaries are opportunistic and motivated by theft rather than revenge.

What caused you to attract their attention? I suspect there's a bit more to this story than you are telling us.

@ Paul - agree with what Nur Mi says. They are probably bluffing, but if they do have access to a Garage / MOT centre or to a dodgy "security" firm, then they may well have access to DVLA records.

Following the tabloid media headlines, the Governmemt announced a public consultation, back in March, and is still dithering over a decision about restricting
the DVLA data sales to the private sector.

This poorly regulated trade raises some some £6.3 million a year in fees, which may or may not actually cover the costs of the scheme.

The DVLA currently sell the Vehicle registration details (not the Driving Licence details), including the Registered Keeper Address, for £2.50 a time to anyone who can show a "reasonable cause", a term which is undefined.

See the silicon.com article: Government considers DVLA data sale restrictions

You could try using the Non-Emergency Crime and Hate Crime / Incident Reporting For the Police Service of the United Kingdom

However you will then have to to try to work out if any of these categories apply:

Hate Crime Any hate incident, which constitutes a criminal offence, perceived by the victim or any other person, as being motivated by prejudice or hate.

Hate Incident
Any incident, which may or may not constitute a criminal offence, which is perceived by the victim or any other person, as being motivated by prejudice or hate.

Racist Incident
Any incident which is perceived to be racist by the victim or any other person.

Homophobic Incident
Any incident which is perceived to be homophobic by the victim or any other person.

Transphobic Incident
Any incident which is perceived to be transphobic by the victim or any other person.

Faith Related Incident
Any incident which is perceived to be based upon prejudice towards or hatred of the faith of the victim or so perceived by the victim or any other person.

Sectarian Incident
Any incident which is perceived to be sectarian by the victim or any other person.

Disablist Incident
Any incident which is perceived to be based upon prejudice towards or hatred of the victim because of their disability or so perceived by the victim or any other person

Incredibly, even though this system is meant to reduce the strain on the Emergency Control rooms, there is every chance that they will still end up having to deal with the resultant emails, several days after you submit the online form.

wtwu - I don't think this helps Paul at all. The events he describes sound more like public order offences or road rage than hate crime. He should attend a police station and report the events in person. And avoid terms like 'home boys' if he wants to be taken seriously.

I just received a charge certificate with a picture of my car from G24 Ltd demanding £75 for parking on yellow lines while I was in the car and my son went and posted a letter in the letterbox. I didn't even see the sings on the entrance of the road and only after I received the penalty I went and saw the sing wich was way away visibility.

G24 Ltd are on the list of companies who use the DVLA data for parking enforcement. It's not clear from your post if this took place on a public highway, where G24 Ltd enforce parking for the local authority; or on private land. I suspect the latter.

If this took place on private land, enforcement of the charge will be through the civil courts. G24 will argue that you entered into a contract to pay the charge by parking there, after seeing the signs. Your defence will be that the signs were not obvious and that you did not see them. I suggest photographing the signs now, because it's not unknown for them to move around when this sort of defence is used.

I suspect that the majority of people ticketed pay up and few cases go to court. If you refuse, it is quite possible they will drop the matter (after a few threatening letters maybe) rather than persue you to court.

A claim for £75 will be heard in the small claims track of the county court, and is nothing to be afraid of.

If this took place on the public highway then appeal is to the Parking and Traffic Appeals Service, the National Parking Adjudication Service or the magistrates court, depending on where this took place and the type of ticket.

Sarah,
I as also fined 87 quid for a 5 minute stop in what turned out to be the car park of a sorry miserable pub. What did you do? did you pay up?

recd. parking ticket from OPC. Was experiecing an hypoglycaemic attack (low blood sugar). Diabetic team have provided a letter to confirm facts. Need advise.

Mrs Clarke - What sort of ticket - public highway or private?

I'm not an expert on parking - indeed I've never had a parking ticket, but I'd suggest that on the public highway, a vehicle prevented from proceeding because of driver illness should be dealt with in the same way as a broken down vehicle - ie not a contravention. The local authority should accept your representations, if not appeal through the appropriate channel.

If this is on private land, I'd be inclined to give them the evidence and then let them sue. I can see the district judge diving them short shrift.

You may be required to inform DVLA of this incident

Just been done for £75 by UK PARKING CONTROL LTD.Worked and parked in the same place for the previous 2 and a half weeks,with no problems,then a fine for £75 lands on door step. I was working on a Safeway to Sainsbury conversion and was parked in their car park. The ticket issuer must have been able too see that work was being carried out.(skips, lorries etc.) Ypu would have thought they would have the common decency to come and say that we wre parking illegally but no.Havin been told that we could park there at the beginning of the job.Just got word that 2 other people working with me that day have also been done.Which in a selfish and fiendish sort of way makes me feel a little better.

In addition to last comment, firstly sorry about spelling.and secondly thre were warning signs up but thought we wre doing no wrong.

Chris - I bet they are trying it on. If your client told you that you could use their car park - and the work would be more difficult and expensive if you couldn't - then you were authorised to park there.

If they persue it, your defence is that you were authorised to park there, and call your client as a witness.

Have just received charge notice from UK parking control ltd they are on your list of people who get there info from the DVLA, and yes right across the middle in big black letters they say (Operating in accordance with DVLA code of practice for private car park enforcement).
Well right away thats put there to make it look official, and then you go on to read that the offence took place at our local McDonalds in Huyton in Merseyside yes they do have a problem with people parking and not using there restaurant, but when you take a Chrysler Voyager full of kids for lunch you expect to spend more than an hour in there restaurant.
I will not pay this fine and they can take me to court, I will also be writing to Mc donalds, the DVLA, and to these upstarts who sent me a fine for £95 and offer a discount of £20 for immediate payment also the DVLA guidlines state that they are supposed to place a notice on your vehicle at the time of the incedent,also any photographic evidence should also be sent, but yes youve guessed it NO PHOTO, but yet again right across the middle of there notice in large black letters, WE ARE HOLDING PHOTOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE ON FILE TO SUPPORT THIS CLAIM.
Well i hope they are because yhey will need it, oh yes just to make things worse we have disabled kids and they were in the vehicle and the blue disabled badge was displayed in the window, yhank you UK Parking and most of all thank you McDonalds.

Ste - I'm sure you are innocent of any parking offence. But maybe you deserve to be fined for feeding children at McDonalds...:-)

We were all sent a £75 pound fine for parking in norwod heights shopping centre car park. To make it worse we were told that we could park here. We were sent it by UK Parking Control Ltd and it sounds as the same as the one's mentioned here. What we were wondering was do we pay it or not????

Nur mi - yeah i did pay the £87 fine for parking in a miserable pubs carpark. I left it for a while because i had never even heard of the company and couldnt find any information or contact numbers anywhere for them. But when they sent a letter threatening court i just payed up to save any more agro. Have u eva heard of EFPN????

Laura - I've not had any dealings with EFPN but they are on the DVLA list, so that's where they got the vehicle keeper details from.

I would have refused to pay and had my day in court. The small claims track of the county court is nothing to be scared of. If the sign was not displayed until after you had been parked it can not be said that you agreed to pay any fee for parking. If it only said "customers only" (a photo would help) then it would be difficult to set a fee for parking, and £87 would certainly not be considered reasonable. That kills off any claim in contract. The only other claim they could make is for damages. I doubt they could show that your trespass (by parking there) has cost the pub £87.

These companies play on peoples' fear of a court claim. In reality people use the civil courts every day to resolve disputes. In the small claims track the parties are not usually represented and costs are not usually awarded.

I have just received a fine from EFPN for parking on a pub car park. I actually went into the pub briefly, then popped to the bank for 5 mins. On my return there was no ticket on my windscreen which would have made me aware that I would be receiving a fine. This fine states that as I have not paid the initial fine of £60 and there is now a late payment fee of £27, so the total due is £87.00. I didn't receive a first notice or anything prior to this.. Is this a scam?
Totally fed up, am going to see the pub concerned and speak to the local papers about them.

To everyone reading this blog, there is no obligation to pay charges to private companies, they base their "demands" on contract or trespass law (not criminal law or decriminalised parking regulations) and have NO powers under the Road Traffic act to force you to declare who was driving the car at the time of the alleged trespass or breach of contract, i.e. the person who trespassed or breached the alleged contract. This is NOT a PENALTY CHARGE NOTICE as prescribed in law, even if it purports to be so, it is an invoice for alleged breach of accepted contractural terms or an offer to settle before court for damages due to trespass.

I have also received a 'Charge Certificate.. Civil Traffic Enforcement Notice' from my Contract Hire Company (they are the registered keeper of my vehicle!)

Can I instruct them NOT to pass on my detials to G24 Ltd (they have asked for my permission). If I don't reply they have stated they will pay on my behalf and add it to my agreement +£25+VAT costs!

Also, on the picture of my vehicle it is impossible to read my numberplate. Would there be other evidence?

Further, I've only received the 'Charge Certificate' today 23Jan07, it was Issued on 11Jan07 and refers to a Charge issued on 24Dec06. What about the 14days rule?

i parked on a road close to uni, the road never had any yellow lines. i came back to my vehicl to see a parking charge notice by uk parking control, i observed for any warning sighns and could only see a laminated letter warning of charge stuck to a lampost which i had not seen at the time of parking as it was discreet and not close to my vehicle. and then i seen at the start of the road a sign way above eye level which could not be seen as i entered. i appealed but it got rejected, it just looked like an automated letter,. do u rekon ive got a case in court?

1st week of Jan I was in a rush early one morning to meet up with a work colleague at Woodhall Services, M1 so I could transfer to his car and then go on to meet a client. The weather was rainy and misty. I saw his car straight away, pulled mine along side, got out and into his and then he drove me off. Returned late evening (dark) got into my car & drove home. Next morning spotted fine on wiper blade. I had no expectation of a parking fine, I didn't know they'd starting doing this at service stations, I hadn't noticed any signs at the service station because I wasn't looking for them, just the colleague's car. These fines are like a tax on commercial progress, next time I have to see a client similarly located with a colleague we'll both go in separate cars. Great for CO2 emissions! I am disinclined to pay this fine, I guess a threatening letter will arrive soon. What's their justification for fining me, trespass? if so how do they put a value on it?? Has anyone gone to court over this? If so I'd be very grateful to know how they got on?

I parked in a local diy store whose parking is monitered by G24 Ltd.They have taken just over 4 weeks to send out a claim for £60.00, for parking 109 mins in a 60 min area.It is quite possible that I was at he store twice during this time as on that day I was plumbing in a new washing mchine. There was no notice given to me or attached to the vehicle.Having checked at the car park there are a lot of signs now in place which i'm sure are recent and the allowed parking time has been raised to 90mins with a £75.00 fine.I used to be a regular shopper there but obviously not any more.Should I pay and have done with it or on principle refuse

I just received a £80 fine from UK parking control,for parking at a leisure centre with no warnings, no yellow lines.
The disturbing thing is they are also charging me for late payment as they claimed i didnt pay on time. Its funny as i never previously received any letter or charge from them, and wondering how i could pay for a charge i didnt even know about. They dont even have a phone number or correspondence address on their letter, not even an appeal preocees. Its ridiculous how the govt can allow these sharp practices to continue.

My wife has just received £170 ticket from UK Parking Control for a 18 min wait in the car to pick up a resident of the flats early on a Sunday morning in Cheltenham.
I don't see any point in paying!

Hi Just wanted some advice,
i was parked in liverpool just off the main road and next to a private accomdation block, when i got back to the car their was a parking notice from legal parking enforcers u.k limited, which stated i had parket outside the accomodation on private land.when i looked the only sign their was to say you couldnt park in the accomodation car park which i wasnt. They have requested £80 unless i have paid within 14 days which it will be £40. they said they have taken a photograph and got my details from the dvla. I rang the dvla and they said noone has requested my information as they hav to pay the 2.50 but she said there could be other ways they can get it. I rang merseyside council and they said dont pay it but to get advice from the police. I rang the police and they said they couldnt help should i pay or not?

I been done by G24 Ltd
for overstaying the FREE parking time in a retail car park, the signs were to small & I was not looking for them as the last time I went there it was FREE parking with no limits... they want me to pay £60 I spent over £200 in the store & I have recipts to prove it, I wrote an appeal but no one got back to me on phone email or letter...

Just another demanding letter reffering to increased fees & details forwarded to balifs...

I havent heard back from them in regaurds to the appeal letter?

Im scared they are going to break in & steal my stuff

If they do, I dont know what I would be responsible for doing to them?

PLEASE HELP!!!

aaronprentice05@aol.com

I to have just been ticketed in Liverpool by Legal Parking Enforcers uk ltd. I had parked in permit holders only parking [private land] attatched to my daughters private student accommodation. There are no other parking places available for loading or unloading. So have no choice but to put my car there while we packed up her books ect. Fellow student told us not to pay, as his friend hadn't & that was over 3 months ago. Not sure what I will do as I can't be the only parent caught like this. Accommodation people no help, LPE said I could appeal but I have to pay fine first & hope I win appeal.

i have got a ticket from bgs services ltd for having two wells on the grass it was £100 i said that it not fair to them and now it £250 and i just dont have the money befor they want wat can i do about this.

I was sent a parking fine through the post from euro car parks saying that I over stayed my time in Tesco exress in horwich, bolton. The thing is I have never been to bolton or with my vehicle!!. I have appealed twice saying i want photo or video evidence but its falling on deaf ears and still no evidence. What can i do???

@ Andrew - you could try sending them a letter quoting the Data Protection Act 1998 Section 10 Right to prevent processing likely to cause damage or distress.

10. - (1) Subject to subsection (2), an individual is entitled at any time by notice in writing to a data controller to require the data controller at the end of such period as is reasonable in the circumstances to cease, or not to begin, processing, or processing for a specified purpose or in a specified manner, any personal data in respect of which he is the data subject, on the ground that, for specified reasons-

(a) the processing of those data or their processing for that purpose or in that manner is causing or is likely to cause substantial damage or substantial distress to him or to another, and

(b) that damage or distress is or would be unwarranted.

(2) Subsection (1) does not apply-

(a) in a case where any of the conditions in paragraphs 1 to 4 of Schedule 2 is met, or

(b) in such other cases as may be prescribed by the Secretary of State by order.

(3) The data controller must within twenty-one days of receiving a notice under subsection (1) ("the data subject notice") give the individual who gave it a written notice-

(a) stating that he has complied or intends to comply with the data subject notice, or

(b) stating his reasons for regarding the data subject notice as to any extent unjustified and the extent (if any) to which he has complied or intends to comply with it.

(4) If a court is satisfied, on the application of any person who has given a notice under subsection (1) which appears to the court to be justified (or to be justified to any extent), that the data controller in question has failed to comply with the notice, the court may order him to take such steps for complying with the notice (or for complying with it to that extent) as the court thinks fit.

(5) The failure by a data subject to exercise the right conferred by subsection (1) or section 11(1) does not affect any other right conferred on him by this Part.

If they have not corrected their faulty data or promised to do so, within 21 days, you can complain to the Information Commissioner, who may get more out of them (an admission of error or some actual evidence), or end up prosecuting them at public expense.

I'm disabled and having a very bad day due to my disability had to venture out to buy some pain killers as couldn't get anyone to help-however after displaying bluebadge on the dashboard and parked legally struggled to open door in the gale force winds.

I wasn't gone long but had a ticket for £80 my badge was on the seat still clearly visible most definatly blown down in the wind.

I appealled explaining mitigating circumstances to National clamps who got my info from DVLA. After several letters all sent by recorded delivery stamped addressed envelopes and copies of blue badge sent to national clamps they have put the cost upto £240 ignored all my letters and refused me any chance of appeal.

Constant harassment letters threats of bailifs court and now they are sending debt collectors to my house. I have invited them to take me to court and since reporting this to the DVLA my car has been broken into and vandalised for the first time ever and can't help being a bit susspicious if this is connected

Di

Hello,

I have just rec/d a parking chage from this company who call themselves EFPN. Like you, I have searched everywhere for there details. I have called the pub, where I go the ticket, and the manager doesnt know there contact details either. Is this a fake ticket???? Also, where it says date, the only details they have wrote down is the number '10' it doesnt even say '10th' or state the month or year. Would this make the ticket invalid? Please let me know. Thanks, Louise

I have received a parking fine from UK Parking Control for parking in my own parking space saying Vehicle not displaying valid permit. The car was displaying a valid permit but the lazy idle warden could not walk to the front of the car to look at it and took a photo of the back of the car of which only the number plate and rear drivers side of the car can be seen the rest of the photo is blacked out. The date of this alleged contravention was 16/05/07. then today 02/06/07 I received another for for an alleged offence on 30/03/07 which was 6 weeks earlier. I look forward to my day in court. The car space is registered to my address as this a block of flats and DVLA gave them the address can they not add one and one. It is not rocket science.


Daniel Shanahan

Law Answers: http://www.lawanswers.co.uk explains how most of these can be dealt with

I have got a reply saying ' The parking ticket has now been cancelled'. Think my ticket was a scam! At least I dont have to pay it! Louise

27 June 2007
I have been sent a letter (dated 26/6/07)from County Parking enforcement Agency Ltd demanding a fine of £80 for 'Vehicle causing an obstruction in a private car park' on 16/2/07 at 18.08.
I have never been to Crown Moran Hotel car park in Cricklewood(London).What should I do?

Aldi clamped me and several others at the new store in Walton on Thames, Surrey - this was on Saturday night, when they have NO traffic coming through...they are parking fascists - no warning, a sign at 15feet high which was unilluminated on a street that hasn't been policed for 10 years...gits the lot of em...

I've just recieved a demand from a company called BGS Services Limited (I'm guessing they also got my details from the DVLA) for £203 dateing back to 27/07/07 and I recieved the demand on the 03/10/07. legaly I've no idea where I stand and if it were £20 or even £50 I'd pay it and move on but it's £203. They also said that they issued me with a ticket at the time which I did not recieve and I've recieved no photo. I only went into BlockBusters! What should I do?

I have received a fine from UK Parking Control Ltd for £80. I asked for photographic proof. A short time later they wrote to say it had gone up to £170, and I have just received a notice saying that I now owe £210. They are threatening to take me to court and I am really panicking. Has anyone been taken to court? How far will this go?

I have received a parking fine for £130 from a company called clamping enforcement agency? I live in Hull my ex boyfriend got the ticket at a university in Crewe and they got my details from DVLA, I am more than happy to supply them with his details as I was no were near Crewe on the day and they even spoke to him and he "promised" to pay it? everything I've read on the internet tells me not to pay, they are all scammers and can take me to court if they want but I am not paying them £130 just because I was the registered keeper at the time!

Having made a trip to our local Cinema last night I parked In there FREE car park,
Admittedly I did park across two spaces as it wasn't busy and some 8 months Previously having my car hit there and
the other driver just leaving me with £400's worth of Damage to repair I wasn't happy to let it happen again.
I had been told by the very unhelpful security guard there were no cameras that covered my car so I was on my own with it, his only suggestion was to park so nobody could squeeze in next to me.

so I return to my car to find a small slip of paper under my passengers wiper blade informing me that UKPC (UK Parking Control Ltd) were sending me a ticket for a parking contravention

I have not yet received the actually fine and it does not state on the paper slip any information of the fine but seeing as most people who have had the Misfortune to deal with these people have been held to ransom for £170 im more than a little annoyed.

On the upside I Do work for a law firm and am seeking advise as to what my options are if I want to avoid this Highway robbery.

Unless a 'ticket' is issued by either the police or a local authority it is not enforceable. The issuer will obtain your details from the DVLA and then send you a letter saying that you must pay them for the parking charge incurred. Do not be fooled by this. Do not offer any plea or explanation. Do not pay them. You need only to reply to thier letter stating that you are indeed the registered keeper but were not driving the vehicle at the time. Suggest that they take the matter up with the driver. You have NO legal obligation to tell them who the driver of the vehicle was at the time. Suggest to them that the matter is now closed as far as you are concerned and that any further demands for money from them will be interpreted as harrassment.

I understand peoples' frustration about "parking management" firms such as G24 being allowed to access addresses through the DVLA.

However, the Directors of limited companies also have to provide their addresses to Companies House and these can be lawfully accessed by the public.

According to Companies House, the sole director of G24 is Mr Adrian Robert King. His address is Somerset Cottage, Dukes Wood Drive, Gerrards Cross SL9 7LL.

I have also been stung by G24 by my car being parked at 11pm for 26 mins. They want to fine me £95 or £75 if I pay withing 2 weeks.

There were no visible signs, and there were plenty of other cars parked there at this hour meaning they couldnt have seen the signs either. There was no parking ticket issued but they sent a letter with my car pictured there and saying there was no free parking there.

I was not the driver and I sent a letter once saying they are illegally trying to obtain an excessive amount from me. They replied saying "we have reviewed your case and decided you need to pay up" lol of course they would say that. I just sent them the same letter again enforcing my actions and just waiting to see what they say. I REFUSE TO PAY UP!!

OPC / OBServices Security Group Ltd paid DVLC to get my details well in return i ran a directors report on OPC who like to hide behind a P.O Box address and intimidate people in Stevenage and London.

The owner is Douglas Harris but the only address is a works address of 60 COMPTON AVENUE, LUTON, BEDFORDSHIRE, LU4 9AZ but i did learn he also owns W Smythe Debt recovery who have upset nearly as many people as OPC

Turns out OPC is dormant so god knows why tickets have that name on them but he also own The Quality Street Company, NationWide contract Cleaning Company and OBServices Security Group Ltd.

I suspect he is also providing services for Stevenage Council as we were given the wrong details by the Stevenage Council about the Roaring Meg car park where we got the parking ticket and this is an avenue I will invite others to join me on.

Several of us have joined forces on this one and will try to get some pictures of the unemployed bouncers being used by this guy as traffic wardens on behalf of our HMS Government and large corporations not contempt with the profit we provide whilst out shopping with them.

DVLA is still at it, 4 years later, according to The Times:

DVLA is selling drivers' details to rogue wheel-clamping companies

About this blog

This United Kingdom based blog attempts to draw public attention to, and comments on, some of the current trends in ever cheaper and more widespread surveillance technology being deployed to satisfy the rapacious demand by state and corporate bureaucracies and criminals for your private details, and the technological ignorance of our politicians and civil servants who frame our legal systems.

The hope is that you the readers, will help to insist that strong safeguards for the privacy of the individual are implemented, especially in these times of increased alert over possible terrorist or criminal activity. If the systems which should help to protect us can be easily abused to supress our freedoms, then the terrorists will have won.

We know that there are decent, honest, trustworthy individual politicians, civil servants, law enforcement, intelligence agency personnel and broadcast, print and internet journalists etc., who often feel powerless or trapped in the system. They need the assistance of external, detailed, informed, public scrutiny to help them to resist deliberate or unthinking policies, which erode our freedoms and liberties.

Email & PGP Contact

Please feel free to email your views about this blog, or news about the issues it tries to comment on.

blog@spy[dot]org[dot]uk

Our PGP public encryption key is available for those correspondents who wish to send us news or information in confidence, and also for those of you who value your privacy, even if you have got nothing to hide.

We offer this verifiable GPG / PGP public key (the ID is available on several keyservers, twitter etc.) as possible one method to establish initial contact with whistleblowers and other confidential sources, if it suits their Threat Model or Risk Appetite, but will then try to establish other secure, anonymous communications channels e.g. encrypted Signal Messenger via burner devices,or face to face meetings, postal mail or dead drops etc. as appropriate.

Current PGP Key ID: 0x1DBD6A9F0FACAD30 which will expire on 29th August 2021.

pgp-now.gif
You can download a free copy of the PGP encryption software from www.pgpi.org
(available for most of the common computer operating systems, and also in various Open Source versions like GPG)

We look forward to the day when UK Government Legislation, Press Releases and Emails etc. are Digitally Signed so that we can be assured that they are not fakes. Trusting that the digitally signed content makes any sense, is another matter entirely.

Hints and Tips for Whistleblowers and Political Dissidents

Please take the appropriate precautions if you are planning to blow the whistle on shadowy and powerful people in Government or commerce, and their dubious policies. The mainstream media and bloggers also need to take simple precautions to help preserve the anonymity of their sources e.g. see Spy Blog's Hints and Tips for Whistleblowers - or use this easier to remember link: http://ht4w.co.uk

BlogSafer - wiki with multilingual guides to anonymous blogging

Digital Security & Privacy for Human Rights Defenders manual, by Irish NGO Frontline Defenders.

Everyone’s Guide to By-Passing Internet Censorship for Citizens Worldwide (.pdf - 31 pages), by the Citizenlab at the University of Toronto.

Handbook for Bloggers and Cyber-Dissidents - March 2008 version - (2.2 Mb - 80 pages .pdf) by Reporters Without Borders

Reporters Guide to Covering the Beijing Olympics by Human Rights Watch.

A Practical Security Handbook for Activists and Campaigns (v 2.6) (.doc - 62 pages), by experienced UK direct action political activists

Anonymous Blogging with Wordpress & Tor - useful step by step guide with software configuration screenshots by Ethan Zuckerman at Global Voices Advocacy. (updated March 10th 2009 with the latest Tor / Vidalia bundle details)

Links

Watching Them, Watching Us

London 2600

Our UK Freedom of Information Act request tracking blog

WikiLeak.org - ethical and technical discussion about the WikiLeaks.org project for anonymous mass leaking of documents etc.

Privacy and Security

Privacy International
United Kingdom Privacy Profile (2011)

Cryptome - censored or leaked government documents etc.

Identity Project report by the London School of Economics
Surveillance & Society the fully peer-reviewed transdisciplinary online surveillance studies journal

Statewatch - monitoring the state and civil liberties in the European Union

The Policy Laundering Project - attempts by Governments to pretend their repressive surveillance systems, have to be introduced to comply with international agreements, which they themselves have pushed for in the first place

International Campaign Against Mass Surveillance

ARCH Action Rights for Children in Education - worried about the planned Children's Bill Database, Connexions Card, fingerprinting of children, CCTV spy cameras in schools etc.

Foundation for Information Policy Research
UK Crypto - UK Cryptography Policy Discussion Group email list

Technical Advisory Board on internet and telecomms interception under RIPA

European Digital Rights

Open Rights Group - a UK version of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a clearinghouse to raise digital rights and civil liberties issues with the media and to influence Governments.

Digital Rights Ireland - legal case against mandatory EU Comms Data Retention etc.

Blindside - "What’s going to go wrong in our e-enabled world? " blog and wiki and Quarterly Report will supposedly be read by the Cabinet Office Central Sponsor for Information Assurance. Whether the rest of the Government bureaucracy and the Politicians actually listen to the CSIA, is another matter.

Biometrics in schools - 'A concerned parent who doesn't want her children to live in "1984" type society.'

Human Rights

Liberty Human Rights campaigners

British Institute of Human Rights
Amnesty International
Justice

Prevent Genocide International

asboconcern - campaign for reform of Anti-Social Behavior Orders

Front Line Defenders - Irish charity - Defenders of Human Rights Defenders

Internet Censorship

OpenNet Initiative - researches and measures the extent of actual state level censorship of the internet. Features a blocked web URL checker and censorship map.

Committee to Protect Bloggers - "devoted to the protection of bloggers worldwide with a focus on highlighting the plight of bloggers threatened and imprisoned by their government."

Reporters without Borders internet section - news of internet related censorship and repression of journalists, bloggers and dissidents etc.

Judicial Links

British and Irish Legal Information Institute - publishes the full text of major case Judgments

Her Majesty's Courts Service - publishes forthcoming High Court etc. cases (but only in the next few days !)

House of Lords - The Law Lords are currently the supreme court in the UK - will be moved to the new Supreme Court in October 2009.

Information Tribunal - deals with appeals under FOIA, DPA both for and against the Information Commissioner

Investigatory Powers Tribunal - deals with complaints about interception and snooping under RIPA - has almost never ruled in favour of a complainant.

Parliamentary Opposition

The incompetent yet authoritarian Labour party have not apologised for their time in Government. They are still not providing any proper Opposition to the current Conservative - Liberal Democrat coalition government, on any freedom or civil liberties or privacy or surveillance issues.

UK Government

Home Office - "Not fit for purpose. It is inadequate in terms of its scope, it is inadequate in terms of its information technology, leadership, management systems and processes" - Home Secretary John Reid. 23rd May 2006. Not quite the fount of all evil legislation in the UK, but close.

No. 10 Downing Street Prime Minister's Official Spindoctors

Public Bills before Parliament

United Kingdom Parliament
Home Affairs Committee of the House of Commons.

House of Commons "Question Book"

UK Statute Law Database - is the official revised edition of the primary legislation of the United Kingdom made available online, but it is not yet up to date.

FaxYourMP - identify and then fax your Member of Parliament
WriteToThem - identify and then contact your Local Councillors, members of devolved assemblies, Member of Parliament, Members of the European Parliament etc.
They Work For You - House of Commons Hansard made more accessible ? UK Members of the European Parliament

Read The Bills Act - USA proposal to force politicians to actually read the legislation that they are voting for, something which is badly needed in the UK Parliament.

Bichard Inquiry delving into criminal records and "soft intelligence" policies highlighted by the Soham murders. (taken offline by the Home Office)

ACPO - Association of Chief Police Officers - England, Wales and Northern Ireland
ACPOS Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland

Online Media

Boing Boing

Need To Know [now defunct]

The Register

NewsNow Encryption and Security aggregate news feed
KableNet - UK Government IT project news
PublicTechnology.net - UK eGovernment and public sector IT news
eGov Monitor

Ideal Government - debate about UK eGovernment

NIR and ID cards

Stand - email and fax campaign on ID Cards etc. [Now defunct]. The people who supported stand.org.uk have gone on to set up other online tools like WriteToThem.com. The Government's contemptuous dismissal of over 5,000 individual responses via the stand.org website to the Home Office public consultation on Entitlement Cards is one of the factors which later led directly to the formation of the the NO2ID Campaign who have been marshalling cross party opposition to Labour's dreadful National Identity Register compulsory centralised national biometric database and ID Card plans, at the expense of simpler, cheaper, less repressive, more effective, nore secure and more privacy friendly alternative identity schemes.

NO2ID - opposition to the Home Office's Compulsory Biometric ID Card
NO2ID bulletin board discussion forum

Home Office Identity Cards website
No compulsory national Identity Cards (ID Cards) BBC iCan campaign site
UK ID Cards blog
NO2ID press clippings blog
CASNIC - Campaign to STOP the National Identity Card.
Defy-ID active meetings and protests in Glasgow
www.idcards-uk.info - New Alliance's ID Cards page
irefuse.org - total rejection of any UK ID Card

International Civil Aviation Organisation - Machine Readable Travel Documents standards for Biometric Passports etc.
Anti National ID Japan - controversial and insecure Jukinet National ID registry in Japan
UK Biometrics Working Group run by CESG/GCHQ experts etc. the UK Government on Biometrics issues feasability
Citizen Information Project feasability study population register plans by the Treasury and Office of National Statistics

CommentOnThis.com - comments and links to each paragraph of the Home Office's "Strategic Action Plan for the National Identity Scheme".

De-Materialised ID - "The voluntary alternative to material ID cards, A Proposal by David Moss of Business Consultancy Services Ltd (BCSL)" - well researched analysis of the current Home Office scheme, and a potentially viable alternative.

Surveillance Infrastructures

National Roads Telecommunications Services project - infrastruture for various mass surveillance systems, CCTV, ANPR, PMMR imaging etc.

CameraWatch - independent UK CCTV industry lobby group - like us, they also want more regulation of CCTV surveillance systems.

Every Step You Take a documentary about CCTV surveillance in the Uk by Austrian film maker Nino Leitner.

Transport for London an attempt at a technological panopticon - London Congestion Charge, London Low-Emission Zone, Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras, tens of thousands of CCTV cameras on buses, thousands of CCTV cameras on London Underground, realtime road traffic CCTV, Iyster smart cards - all handed over to the Metropolitan Police for "national security" purposes, in real time, in bulk, without any public accountibility, for secret data mining, exempt from even the usual weak protections of the Data Protection Act 1998.

RFID Links

RFID tag privacy concerns - our own original article updated with photos

NoTags - campaign against individual item RFID tags
Position Statement on the Use of RFID on Consumer Products has been endorsed by a large number of privacy and human rights organisations.
RFID Privacy Happenings at MIT
Surpriv: RFID Surveillance and Privacy
RFID Scanner blog
RFID Gazette
The Sorting Door Project

RFIDBuzz.com blog - where we sometimes crosspost RFID articles

Genetic Links

DNA Profiles - analysis by Paul Nutteing
GeneWatch UK monitors genetic privacy and other issues
Postnote February 2006 Number 258 - National DNA Database (.pdf) - Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology

The National DNA Database Annual Report 2004/5 (.pdf) - published by the NDNAD Board and ACPO.

Eeclaim Your DNA from Britain's National DNA Database - model letters and advice on how to have your DNA samples and profiles removed from the National DNA Database,in spite of all of the nureacratic obstacles which try to prevent this, even if you are innocent.

Miscellanous Links

Michael Field - Pacific Island news - no longer a paradise
freetotravel.org - John Gilmore versus USA internal flight passports and passenger profiling etc.

The BUPA Seven - whistleblowers badly let down by the system.

Tax Credit Overpayment - the near suicidal despair inflicted on poor, vulnerable people by the then Chancellor Gordon Brown's disasterous Inland Revenue IT system.

Fassit UK - resources and help for those abused by the Social Services Childrens Care bureaucracy

Former Spies

MI6 v Tomlinson - Richard Tomlinson - still being harassed by his former employer MI6

Martin Ingram, Welcome To The Dark Side - former British Army Intelligence operative in Northern Ireland.

Operation Billiards - Mitrokhin or Oshchenko ? Michael John Smith - seeking to overturn his Official Secrets Act conviction in the GEC case.

The Dirty Secrets of MI5 & MI6 - Tony Holland, Michael John Smith and John Symond - stories and chronologies.

Naked Spygirl - Olivia Frank

Blog Links

e-nsecure.net blog - Comments on IT security and Privacy or the lack thereof.
Rat's Blog -The Reverend Rat writes about London street life and technology
Duncan Drury - wired adventures in Tanzania & London
Dr. K's blog - Hacker, Author, Musician, Philosopher

David Mery - falsely arrested on the London Tube - you could be next.

James Hammerton
White Rose - a thorn in the side of Big Brother
Big Blunkett
Into The Machine - formerly "David Blunkett is an Arse" by Charlie Williams and Scribe
infinite ideas machine - Phil Booth
Louise Ferguson - City of Bits
Chris Lightfoot
Oblomovka - Danny O'Brien

Liberty Central

dropsafe - Alec Muffett
The Identity Corner - Stefan Brands
Kim Cameron - Microsoft's Identity Architect
Schneier on Security - Bruce Schneier
Politics of Privacy Blog - Andreas Busch
solarider blog

Richard Allan - former Liberal Democrat MP for Sheffield Hallam
Boris Johnson Conservative MP for Henley
Craig Murray - former UK Ambassador to Uzbekistan, "outsourced torture" whistleblower

Howard Rheingold - SmartMobs
Global Guerrillas - John Robb
Roland Piquepaille's Technology Trends

Vmyths - debunking computer security hype

Nick Leaton - Random Ramblings
The Periscope - Companion weblog to Euro-correspondent.com journalist network.
The Practical Nomad Blog Edward Hasbrouck on Privacy and Travel
Policeman's Blog
World Weary Detective

Martin Stabe
Longrider
B2fxxx - Ray Corrigan
Matt Sellers
Grits for Breakfast - Scott Henson in Texas
The Green Ribbon - Tom Griffin
Guido Fawkes blog - Parliamentary plots, rumours and conspiracy.
The Last Ditch - Tom Paine
Murky.org
The (e)State of Tim - Tim Hicks
Ilkley Against CCTV
Tim Worstall
Bill's Comment Page - Bill Cameron
The Society of Qualified Archivists
The Streeb-Greebling Diaries - Bob Mottram

Your Right To Know - Heather Brooke - Freedom off Information campaigning journalist

Ministry of Truth _ Unity's V for Vendetta styled blog.

Bloggerheads - Tim Ireland

W. David Stephenson blogs on homeland security et al.
EUrophobia - Nosemonkey

Blogzilla - Ian Brown

BlairWatch - Chronicling the demise of the New Labour Project

dreamfish - Robert Longstaff

Informaticopia - Rod Ward

War-on-Freedom

The Musings of Harry

Chicken Yoghurt - Justin McKeating

The Red Tape Chronicles - Bob Sullivan MSNBC

Campaign Against the Legislative and Regulatory Reform Bill

Stop the Legislative and Regulatory Reform Bill

Rob Wilton's esoterica

panGloss - Innovation, Technology and the Law

Arch Rights - Action on Rights for Children blog

Database Masterclass - frequently asked questions and answers about the several centralised national databases of children in the UK.

Shaphan

Moving On

Steve Moxon blog - former Home Office whistleblower and author.

Al-Muhajabah's Sundries - anglophile blog

Architectures of Control in Design - Dan Lockton

rabenhorst - Kai Billen (mostly in German)

Nearly Perfect Privacy - Tiffany and Morpheus

Iain Dale's Diary - a popular Conservative political blog

Brit Watch - Public Surveillance in the UK - Web - Email - Databases - CCTV - Telephony - RFID - Banking - DNA

BLOGDIAL

MySecured.com - smart mobile phone forensics, information security, computer security and digital forensics by a couple of Australian researchers

Ralph Bendrath

Financial Cryptography - Ian Grigg et al.

UK Liberty - A blog on issues relating to liberty in the UK

Big Brother State - "a small act of resistance" to the "sustained and systematic attack on our personal freedom, privacy and legal system"

HosReport - "Crisis. Conspiraciones. Enigmas. Conflictos. Espionaje." - Carlos Eduardo Hos (in Spanish)

"Give 'em hell Pike!" - Frank Fisher

Corruption-free Anguilla - Good Governance and Corruption in Public Office Issues in the British Overseas Territory of Anguilla in the West Indies - Don Mitchell CBE QC

geeklawyer - intellectual property, civil liberties and the legal system

PJC Journal - I am not a number, I am a free Man - The Prisoner

Charlie's Diary - Charlie Stross

The Caucus House - blog of the Chicago International Model United Nations

Famous for 15 Megapixels

Postman Patel

The 4th Bomb: Tavistock Sq Daniel's 7:7 Revelations - Daniel Obachike

OurKingdom - part of OpenDemocracy - " will discuss Britain’s nations, institutions, constitution, administration, liberties, justice, peoples and media and their principles, identity and character"

Beau Bo D'Or blog by an increasingly famous digital political cartoonist.

Between Both Worlds - "Thoughts & Ideas that Reflect the Concerns of Our Conscious Evolution" - Kingsley Dennis

Bloggerheads: The Alisher Usmanov Affair - the rich Uzbek businessman and his shyster lawyers Schillings really made a huge counterproductive error in trying to censor the blogs of Tim Ireland, of all people.

Matt Wardman political blog analysis

Henry Porter on Liberty - a leading mainstream media commentator and opinion former who is doing more than most to help preserve our freedom and liberty.

HMRC is shite - "dedicated to the taxpayers of Britain, and the employees of the HMRC, who have to endure the monumental shambles that is Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC)."

Head of Legal - Carl Gardner a former legal advisor to the Government

The Landed Underclass - Voice of the Banana Republic of Great Britain

Henrik Alexandersson - Swedish blogger threatened with censorship by the Försvarets Radioanstalt (FRA), the Swedish National Defence Radio Establishement, their equivalent of the UK GCHQ or the US NSA.

World's First Fascist Democracy - blog with link to a Google map - "This map is an attempt to take a UK wide, geographical view, of both the public and the personal effect of State sponsored fear and distrust as seen through the twisted technological lens of petty officials and would be bureaucrats nationwide."

Blogoir - Charles Crawford - former UK Ambassodor to Poland etc.

No CCTV - The Campaign against CCTV

Barcode Nation - keeping two eyes on the database state.

Lords of the Blog - group blog by half a dozen or so Peers sitting in the House of Lords.

notes from the ubiquitous surveillance society - blog by Dr. David Murakami Wood, editor of the online academic journal Surveillance and Society

Justin Wylie's political blog

Panopticon blog - by Timothy Pitt-Payne and Anya Proops. Timothy Pitt-Payne is probably the leading legal expert on the UK's Freedom of Information Act law, often appearing on behlaf of the Information Commissioner's Office at the Information Tribunal.

Armed and Dangerous - Sex, software, politics, and firearms. Life’s simple pleasures… - by Open Source Software advocate Eric S. Raymond.

Georgetown Security Law Brief - group blog by the Georgetown Law Center on National Security and the Law , at Georgtown University, Washington D.C, USA.

Big Brother Watch - well connected with the mainstream media, this is a campaign blog by the TaxPayersAlliance, which thankfully does not seem to have spawned Yet Another Campaign Organisation as many Civil Liberties groups had feared.

Spy on Moseley - "Sparkbrook, Springfield, Washwood Heath and Bordesley Green. An MI5 Intelligence-gathering operation to spy on Muslim communities in Birmingham is taking liberties in every sense" - about 150 ANPR CCTV cameras funded by Home Office via the secretive Terrorism and Allied Matters (TAM) section of ACPO.

FitWatch blog - keeps an eye on the activities of some of the controversial Police Forward Intelligence Teams, who supposedly only target "known troublemakers" for photo and video surveillance, at otherwise legal, peaceful protests and demonstrations.

Other Links

Spam Huntress - The Norwegian Spam Huntress - Ann Elisabeth

Fuel Crisis Blog - Petrol over £1 per litre ! Protest !
Mayor of London Blog
London Olympics 2012 - NO !!!!

Cool Britannia

NuLabour

Free Gary McKinnon - UK citizen facing extradition to the USA for "hacking" over 90 US Military computer systems.

Parliament Protest - information and discussion on peaceful resistance to the arbitrary curtailment of freedom of assembly and freedom of speech, in the excessive Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 Designated Area around Parliament Square in London.

Brian Burnell's British / US nuclear weapons history at http://nuclear-weapons.info

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UK Legislation

The United Kingdom suffers from tens of thousands of pages of complicated criminal laws, and thousands of new, often unenforceable criminal offences, which have been created as a "Pretend to be Seen to Be Doing Something" response to tabloid media hype and hysteria, and political social engineering dogmas. These overbroad, catch-all laws, which remove the scope for any judicial appeals process, have been rubber stamped, often without being read, let alone properly understood, by Members of Parliament.

The text of many of these Acts of Parliament are now online, but it is still too difficult for most people, including the police and criminal justice system, to work out the cumulative effect of all the amendments, even for the most serious offences involving national security or terrorism or serious crime.

Many MPs do not seem to bother to even to actually read the details of the legislation which they vote to inflict on us.

UK Legislation Links

UK Statute Law Database - is the official revised edition of the primary legislation of the United Kingdom made available online, but it is not yet up to date.

UK Commissioners

UK Commissioners some of whom are meant to protect your privacy and investigate abuses by the bureaucrats.

UK Intelligence Agencies

Intelligence and Security Committee - the supposedly independent Parliamentary watchdog which issues an annual, heavily censored Report every year or so. Currently chaired by the Conservative Sir Malcolm Rifkind. Why should either the intelligence agencies or the public trust this committee, when the untrustworthy ex-Labour Minister Hazel Blears is a member ?

Anti-terrorism hotline - links removed in protest at the Climate of Fear propaganda posters

MI5 Security Service
MI5 Security Service - links to encrypted reporting form removed in protest at the Climate of Fear propaganda posters

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Secure Your Fertiliser - advice on ammonium nitrate and urea fertiliser security

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Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure - "CPNI provides expert advice to the critical national infrastructure on physical, personnel and information security, to protect against terrorism and other threats."

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Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) recruitment.

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Government Communications Headquarters GCHQ

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National Crime Agency - the replacement for the Serious Organised Crime Agency

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Defence Advisory (DA) Notice system - voluntary self censorship by the established UK press and broadcast media regarding defence and intelligence topics via the Defence, Press and Broadcasting Advisory Committee.

Foreign Spies / Intelliegence Agencies in the UK

It is not just the UK government which tries to snoop on British companies, organisations and individuals, the rest of the world is constantly trying to do the same, regardless of the mixed efforts of our own UK Intelligence Agencies who are paid to supposedly protect us from them.

For no good reason, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office only keeps the current version of the London Diplomatic List of accredited Diplomats (including some Foreign Intelligence Agency operatives) online.

Presumably every mainstream media organisation, intelligence agency, serious organised crime or terrorist gang keeps historical copies, so here are some older versions of the London Diplomatic List, for the benefit of web search engine queries, for those people who do not want their visits to appear in the FCO web server logfiles or those whose censored internet feeds block access to UK Government websites.

Campaign Button Links

Watching Them, Watching Us - UK Public CCTV Surveillance Regulation Campaign
UK Public CCTV Surveillance Regulation Campaign

NO2ID Campaign - cross party opposition to the NuLabour Compulsory Biometric ID Card
NO2ID Campaign - cross party opposition to the NuLabour Compulsory Biometric ID Card and National Identity Register centralised database.

Gary McKinnon is facing extradition to the USA under the controversial Extradition Act 2003, without any prima facie evidence or charges brought against him in a UK court. Try him here in the UK, under UK law.
Gary McKinnon is facing extradition to the USA under the controversial Extradition Act 2003, without any prima facie evidence or charges brought against him in a UK court. Try him here in the UK, under UK law.

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FreeFarid.com - Kafkaesque extradition of Farid Hilali under the European Arrest Warrant to Spain

Peaceful resistance to the curtailment of our rights to Free Assembly and Free Speech in the SOCPA Designated Area around Parliament Square and beyond
Parliament Protest blog - resistance to the Designated Area restricting peaceful demonstrations or lobbying in the vicinity of Parliament.

Petition to the European Commission and European Parliament against their vague Data Retention plans
Data Retention is No Solution - Petition to the European Commission and European Parliament against their vague Data Retention plans.

Save Parliament: Legislative and Regulatory Reform Bill (and other issues)
Save Parliament - Legislative and Regulatory Reform Bill (and other issues)

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Open Rights Group

The Big Opt Out Campaign - opt out of having your NHS Care Record medical records and personal details stored insecurely on a massive national centralised database.

Tor - the onion routing network
Tor - the onion routing network - "Tor aims to defend against traffic analysis, a form of network surveillance that threatens personal anonymity and privacy, confidential business activities and relationships, and state security. Communications are bounced around a distributed network of servers called onion routers, protecting you from websites that build profiles of your interests, local eavesdroppers that read your data or learn what sites you visit, and even the onion routers themselves."

Tor - the onion routing network
Anonymous Blogging with Wordpress and Tor - useful Guide published by Global Voices Advocacy with step by step software configuration screenshots (updated March 10th 2009).

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Amnesty International's irrepressible.info campaign

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BlogSafer - wiki with multilingual guides to anonymous blogging

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NGO in a box - Security Edition privacy and security software tools

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Home Office Watch blog, "a single repository of all the shambolic errors and mistakes made by the British Home Office compiled from Parliamentary Questions, news reports, and tip-offs by the Liberal Democrat Home Affairs team."

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Reporters Without Borders - Reporters Sans Frontières - campaign for journalists 'and bloggers' freedom in repressive countries and war zones.

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Committee to Protect Bloggers - "devoted to the protection of bloggers worldwide with a focus on highlighting the plight of bloggers threatened and imprisoned by their government."

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Icelanders are NOT terrorists ! - despite Gordon Brown and Alistair Darling's use of anti-terrorism legislation to seize the assets of Icelandic banks.

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No CCTV - The Campaign Against CCTV

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I'm a Photographer Not a Terrorist !

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Power 2010 cross party, political reform campaign

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Cracking the Black Box - "aims to expose technology that is being used in inappropriate ways. We hope to bring together the insights of experts and whistleblowers to shine a light into the dark recesses of systems that are responsible for causing many of the privacy problems faced by millions of people."

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Open Rights Group - Petition against the renewal of the Interception Modernisation Programme

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WhistleblowersUK.org - Fighting for justice for whistleblowers