Why is it so wrong for a government agency to charge a premium for what some people think is a premium product?
It keeps my taxation and costs for dealing with the DVLA down.
Good move for everyone.
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"its being 'commercial' Its a government department isn't it. When was it privatized?
DVLA is an Agency (bit different to a Govt department). It has not (yet) been privatised, but like many parts of the public sector has been strongly encouraged to exploit its assets in 'commercial' projects. Many parts of the public sector do this, e.g. hospitals (private rooms, partnerships with private health companies), universities (sellling use of facilities or expertise) etc etc. One of DVLA's assets are its registration numbers.
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Talking to the manager of a local Driving Test Centre a couple of years ago she told me that that particular branch of HMG was self financing and sometimes made a profit. Personally I don't see that its wrong myself.
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Back in the 80/90's many parts of the government became "agencies" and were encouraged to become "self-financing"-this included charging the going-rate for the work done and not using the charges for some parts of their work to subsidize other parts.The Dept. of Transport does a lot of other business.
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If people don't run after personalized number plates, then DVLA won't make any profit by selling them.
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Sadly, tiny amounts of money saved by parts of government making a profit or being self-financing are a drop in the ocean compared with the mountains of cash wasted throughout the rest of the public sector.
This leaves me resentful over issues such as the DVLA selling registration numbers. It leaves the impression of the government milking the public for yet more cash.
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>>It leaves the impression of the government milking the public for yet more cash.<<
Unless you can suggest some way to persuade the Govt. to spend less, taxpayers must be milked one way or another; so if it can be done while providing (peculiar, IMHO) pleasure, so much the better.
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This leaves me resentful over issues such as the DVLA selling registration numbers.
Don't buy a number then, you don't have to. 'Personal' registrations are very much a luxury item IMHO. You can of course use one of the many private agencies that trade in cherished registrations, so its not like its not a competitive market.
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Where it does get cheeky in my 'umble is the transfer and retention fees. I have a "cherished" plate which I have had for many years and which has been on several cars.
Please don't start on me, I like it and it was a present from my wife and I display it legally ! ;-)
On the one hand the transfer process is now very slick. You can do it in a number of ways but for me the easiest way is to download a very simple form from the DVLA website, fill it in and present it with required backup docs and £80 at my local DVLA office. The whole process at the desk takes about 3 minutes. I know there are certain professions who would not see £80 for a few minutes work as excessive but it is rather more than the going rate in my industry !
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Think of it as a tax on the relatively wealthy - in fact its a far more efficient means tested tax than anything HMG could come up with on its own.
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And a voluntary tax to boot. So if you don't want to pay, don't buy. In that respect its still a free country. Reminds me of people who hate certain brands, you're not forced to opt in.
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I read last week that the DVLA has so far made 1.5 million from selling details of registered keeper of cars, upon request, to the 21st century's take on Dick Turpin, aka wheel clampers (those who operate on private property, except in more enlightened parts, i.e. north of Gretna Green.)
It saves the clamping and squeezing fraternity the bother of having to go through civil court proceedings, and is a snip at 2.50 a time. The Human Rights Act is *still* suspended, and Data Protection legislation has more loopholes than my gran's tea cosy.
Cheeky doesn't begin to describe it.
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