It's been a while since the BBC started a small shower of debate over the selling of motorists' details to private companies by the DVLA. Dizzy disagreed at the time with the government claim that there was no profit in such transactions.
If Dizzy is correct, then the treasury has been enjoying quite a windfall from selling our details this year, according to a question to the DfT from Bob Russell yesterday. It would seem that by the end of March, receipts will have increased by a whopping 120% on last year's already high total.
(receipts in £m)
2004-05 - 4.7
2005-06 - 6.2
2006-07 - 7.0
2007-08 - 8.1
2008-09 - 8.7
2009-10 - 19.2
What can have caused this huge increase is anyone's guess, but at £2.50 a pop, that equates to 7.68 million people having their data sold by the government to, well, just about anyone who asks.
Kerching! Now then, about your ID card application ...
