The Disclosure of Vehicle Insurance Information Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations, which are made under Article 81 of the Road Traffic (Northern Ireland) Order 2007, make provision for the Motor Insurers’ Information Centre (“MIIC”) to provide information relating to the uninsured use of motor vehicles to the Police Service of Northern Ireland (“PSNI”).

Regulation 3 requires MIIC to provide to the PSNI a list of vehicles, the use of which was covered by a policy of insurance on the reference date but is not covered under such a policy when the list is generated. The information must be provided at intervals specified by the PSNI. Information which must be provided is the vehicle registration mark, the make and model of the vehicle (where this is available to MIIC) and the date on which the vehicle ceased to have a record of insurance on the database.

Regulation 4 permits the PSNI to process information provided by MIIC so that it is available in a form that may assist a constable to determine if a vehicle has been used by a person who is not insured, contrary to Article 90 of the Road Traffic (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 (“the 1981 Order”). The Chief Constable may arrange for that information to be further processed into a form in which it may be used by a constable.

A constable may use the processed information to assist him in deciding whether to use his powers under Article 180 of the 1981 Order to require a person who is, or who may have been, driving a vehicle to produce evidence that use of the vehicle is insured.

The information provided to a constable should not be further disclosed by him except for the purposes of legal proceedings for contravening the 1981 Order or legislation made under it.

A Regulatory Impact Assessment has not been completed as costs incurred by business are minimal.