24 November 2008 - The Government has today announced that it will start a public consultation on the Information Commissioner's recommendation to scrap the edited electoral register.
In its Data Sharing Review, published in July, the Information Commissioner called for a "cultural change" in the way personal information is handled by government, councils and private companies. The report was in particular critical of the provision allowing the sale of the edited electoral register to anyone prepared to pay a fee.
The edited version of the electoral roll lists anyone who fails to tick an opt-out box on their electoral registration form. Currently, only 40 per cent of voters is opted out of being on this register, despite the fact that it is the primary source for the creation of junk mail lists.
In its official response to the Information Commissioner's review, the Ministry of Justice said the government would start a full public consultation on the recommendations. The department added: "Before committing to any course of action we need to establish how removing the provisions would impact not just on individuals but the economy as a whole."