I WAS very interested in your story about Middlesbrough Mayor Ray Mallon challenging the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) over its imposition of “illegal fines” after both his daughters were issued with penalties for failing to inform it that they had sold vehicles they owned.

I have noticed over recent years that more government and local government departments are being given powers to impose fines on the population for what in some cases are trivial matters.

Last year, I read an article by a London journalist who researched an Act of Parliament called “Bill of Rights Act 1689” which states: “…all grants and promises of fines and forfeitures of particular persons before conviction are illegal and void”.

The journalist stated that he quoted this part of the Act as a defence against fines imposed on him for failing to pay the London congestion charge on two occasions, and he had heard no more about them.

If this Act is still on the statute book I think that it could be useful to a large number of people – Mr Mallon in particular.

Charles Chatterton, Crook, Co Durham.