11/07/2024, the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) issued guidance that the makes & models of vehicles were not to be disclosed – the guidance can be read here. The submission was quickly superseded:
It is understood a U-turn occurred 12 days later, 23/07/2024:
Further to the below email which was circulated [redacted] last week and was in line with the views of the policing lead at the time, we have received some challenge from forces regarding the position taken.
As part of this, further information was provided to us stating that makes and models of stolen
vehicles are routinely provided by DVLA under FOI and subsequently published by a variety of
sources including insurance companies and motoring journals; the opinion was that this action
undermined any argument that a disclosure by police would directly prejudice the commercial
interests of a vehicle manufacturer because similar information was already out there, sourced from
an official body (DVLA).
Given that fact, [redacted] we have reassessed and amended the stance.
The lead now agrees that s43 CANNOT be relied upon to exempt makes and models of stolen
vehicles when requested under FOI.
The consistent release of such data by DVLA under FOI undermines that position to the extent that it would not stand up to scrutiny if challenged.
Furthermore, the policing lead has agreed that the original view that harm to partnership working
between national policing and vehicle manufacturers would be realised through disclosure (which
engaged s31) is, in fact, not sufficient enough to rely on for a high level request such as this –
lower level detail, e.g. specifics of individual types of vehicle crime by manufacturer would be required to
engage this harm.
Therefore, they are now in agreement that for requests for makes and models of all stolen vehicles in the force area, s31 DOES NOT apply either.
In short, please be advised of our updated stance which is that makes and models of stolen vehicles
can be provided if requested under FOI.
VRN’s, if requested, remain exempt from disclosure under s40(2).
The disclosure can be found at WhatDoTheyKnow.com – the full, painful history can be read here.
There remains some confusion about the ‘lower level detail’; what is meant by this, how ‘makes & models’ do not fall to the lower level cited.
The circulations, obtained from West Midlands Police, can be read here as part of a FoIA request here.