Depends on what the information was meant for wemchy. The company I work for won't use FTP sites unless its the secure company one so certain data has to be sent via PGP encrpypted CD or DVD. I may be giving them too much credit but I'd guess it was something similar.
Either that or the government is boosting its income by flogging personal information on the QT.
Sorry to disappoint you but the already do that. For a small sum you can buy the personal details of anyone that is a Driving Licence holder or Registered Vehicle Keeper.
For some 'special' companies, they do it wholesale, and let them look at the DVLA records for themselves via a 'secure' computer link. 
Yeah Yeah ~ we know that.
BUT
All the DVLA have of record are my car registration details, my name, address, DoB and details of any points I may have accrued for driving offences ~ some of which anyone buying the info from them must already have before they can do a look up. IE My name/Address or Vehicle Reg must be fed in to gain access to the rest of the info.
The DVLA do not hold my bank account details nor the full names and ages/Dates of Birth/ National Insurance Numbers and National Health Numbers of me, my wife and my three children.
That is the difference.
Once again you grasp the wrong end of the stick.
1. I was replying to the observation that the government might not be above selling personal information.
2. What information is held by DVLA is an Official Secret and may be a lot more embracing that you think. It certainly will be after the ID integration of
data.
3. An example, A wealthy individual is observed collecting their child at a boarding school, Their name and address is gleaned from the records, the
house is
