Question

To ask the hon. Member for Houghton and Sunderland South, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what steps the Electoral Commission has taken to tackle the sale by local authorities of the details of electors who have opted out of the open electoral register.

The supply of copies of the full register is limited to particular individuals and organisations prescribed in law. The Commission provides comprehensive written guidance for Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) which covers the access and supply of the electoral registers. This guidance makes clear that it is the responsibility of the ERO to be satisfied that the individual or organisation making a request is entitled to receive the register before it is supplied.