§ 19. Mr. Huntasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what conclusions he has now reached regarding the need for restrictions on the sale of electoral registers.
§ Mr. SharplesI have nothing at present to add to the reply given to a Question by the hon. Member for Nuneaton (Mr. Leslie Huckfield) on 22nd November.—[Vol. 826, c. 290.]
§ Mr. HuntWill my hon. Friend bear in mind that people bitterly resent their names and addresses being made available without their knowledge or consent to commercial firms which then bombard them with unwelcome and unwanted literature? Is my hon. Friend aware that there is evidence that these registers are sometimes obtained by criminals who then use them to check on the occupants of residential property before carrying out burglaries? Is it not time that we had a positive announcement of the Government's intention?
§ Mr. SharplesYes, I am well aware of the feeling about this matter. It is not a simple question to resolve. We want to ensure that those who need the register for genuine purposes are able to obtain it without too much difficulty. We have to try to maintain a balance.
§ Mr. Leslie HuckfieldDoes the hon. Gentleman realise that local authorities only have power to sell their surplus electoral registers in addition to those which they have to give to political parties? Is he aware that, as the law stands, local authorities do not have to make any inquiry into the bona fides of anybody seeking these registers? Will he do something to stop the ever-increasing amount of pollution which comes through our letter-boxes every morning because of direct mail order outfits?
§ Mr. SharplesAs I have said, this is not an easy problem. It is not easy for local authorities to check the bona fides of all people requiring the register. We 1606 are looking at this problem very carefully but I do not see an easy solution to it.