How public is the edited Electoral Roll?

QuantumCaffeine

Hi all!

Just got off the phone with a guy from Barclays (or rather the people they're using to push ID fraud protection). In the course of his spiel, he told me that even though I'm on the edited version of the Electoral Roll, it's still possible (for a fee) for people to get my info, and hence that being on the edited Roll doesn't reduce the risk of ID fraud.

Is this true, or was he just lying to me to sell his wares?

Cheers,

QC

P.S. If he was lying, are they really free to lie to us or can we complain to someone about it?

Paul_Herring

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Governmentcitizensandrights/UKgovernment/Politicalpartiesandelections/DG_073239

Electoral register - who can use your details

There are two versions of the electoral register:

* the 'full register' is only used for elections, preventing and detecting crime, and checking applications for loans or credit
* the 'edited register' is available for general sale and can be used by commercial companies

Your name and address will appear on the full register. You can choose whether to appear on the edited register when you register to vote.

I was under the impression that the full register could be examined by going to the local council in person and requesting access, but I can't find anything to substantiate it.


Edit: Old story (2003), but http://www.out-law.com/default.aspx?page=3865

Court refuses 192.com access to full electoral register

An attempt by the company behind 192.com to widen access to the full electoral register has been rejected by the English High Court. I-CD Publishing (UK) Ltd, which now operates a telephone directory service on 118 119, has now to rely on access to that part of the electoral register where voters choose to put their name and address in the public domain.

mjm3346

Local council website

The full Register of Electors lists everyone who is entitled to vote. You can only view this version of the register under supervision at ******. You may take handwritten notes but may not take photocopies or buy a copy of the full register.
Only specified people such as Members of Parliament and local councillors, and organisations such as credit reference agencies and the police, are allowed to have a copy of the full register. They may only use it for electoral purposes, for credit referencing and for the prevention and detection of crime.
The Representation of the People (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2002 specify who can have a copy of the full register and what they can use it for. It is a criminal offence to use it for any other purpose or to pass it on to anyone else.

Paul_Herring

mjm3346 wrote: »

Local council website

Ah, indeed. My google-fu temporarily broken...

http://www.salford.gov.uk/electorregister.htm#can_i_inspect
http://www.elmbridge.gov.uk/council/elections/registernames.htm
http://www.bedford.gov.uk/council_and_democracy/elections/registering_to_vote.aspx

etc.

Paul_Herring

QuantumCaffeine wrote: »

In the course of his spiel, he told me that even though I'm on the edited version of the Electoral Roll,

I've just realised - did you really mean to say you're on the edited version (in which case he's telling the truth, and you should really consider opting out) or did you mean that you opted out (in which case he's stretching the truth.)

QuantumCaffeine

Paul_Herring wrote: »

I've just realised - did you really mean to say you're on the edited version (in which case he's telling the truth, and you should really consider opting out) or did you mean that you opted out (in which case he's stretching the truth.)

Oops. What I meant to say was that I've ticked the box to opt out of the full register, and am therefore not in the edited version.

Going by the responses (thanks everyone!) it sounds like he was stretching the truth: even if you can get supervised, in-person access to the full register, it's hard to imagine any fraudster bothering.

You've put my mind at rest!

Cheers,

QC