A survey by the Local Government Association shows that an overwhelming majority of elections officers support a ban on the sale of the Edited Electoral Register.

At present, local Councils are by law required to sell the edited version of the Electoral Register to anyone prepared to pay a fee. The data on the register may be used for any purpose and is the primary source for the creation of junk mail lists. In July, the Information Commissioner recommended abolishing the Edited Electoral Register in the Data Sharing Review, which looked a how the public and private sector handle personal information.

The survey carried out by the Local Government Association and the Association of Electoral Administrators shows that no less than 98% of elections officers in councils around the country agree that the Government should change the law to stop junk mail companies gaining access to the electoral register. The survey also shows that almost nine in ten believe that the practice of selling the electoral roll discourages people from registering to vote.

'Fiddly, costly and frankly a pain in the backside'

Richard Kemp, Deputy Chairman of the LGA said: "The new survey clearly shows that town halls hugely resent having to pass the electoral roll to direct marketing companies. Most people hate junk mail and cold calling and councils don't want to be a part of the process that generates money for junk mail companies in this way.

"Selling the electoral roll undermines democracy, dissuades people from voting and gives people the impression that the council is profiting from selling their personal information. Ministers must change the law to ban junk mail firms from getting their information through the electoral roll.

"Keeping two separate electoral rolls is fiddly, costly and frankly a pain in the backside for councils. A change in the law would cut down on the junk mail that can infuriate homeowners and would also be a way of boosting the number of people who register to vote at a time when turnout is at an all-time low."

John Turner, Chief Executive of the Association of Electoral Administrators said "We have constantly argued that the electoral register should be used for one purpose only, namely, the conduct of elections. Other uses compromise the register's democratic legitimacy and clearly act as a significant deterrent to the aim of persuading all eligible electors to register. The results of this survey are therefore not at all surprising.

"What is surprising is that, despite these and similar findings and the clear recommendation from the Data Sharing Review, there is still no real indication that the Government will act to remove the need for an edited register and the use of electoral registration information for such purposes."

A Ministry of Justice spokesman said that it would issue a response to Mr Thomas's report when it had considered the implications. "We agree that measures need to be taken to increase public trust and confidence in the handling and processing of personal data by the public and private sectors," he said.