From Credit Today
The Ministry of Justice has proposed abolishing the edited electoral register as quickly as possible by amending legislation.
The proposal is included in a consultation document, Electoral Registers: Proposed Changes to the Edited Register, among several options for the register such as setting a timescale or trigger point for its abolition.
Another option is to abolish the edited register as soon as practicable, but extend access to the full register for other purposes to be decided by the consultation.
The debt collection industry has long argued that access to the full electoral roll should be extended to debt collectors and tracing firms to protect businesses and individuals from those who might abscond in a bid to avoid repaying debts.
A briefing note from Callcredit stated: "People who might be able to afford to pay their debts try to evade repayment through absconding. Removing access to the edited register without extending use of the full register for this purpose could make it easier for them to do so."
A fourth option proposed is retaining the edited register but imposing legal restrictions on who can purchase it and for what purposes. The two remaining proposals are: replacing the current opt-out provision with an opt-in provision and lastly, improving guidance for the public about the edited register.
Last year Credit Today ran a campaign against the proposal to stop the industry accessing the register and the comments are being fed into the consultation.
The Ministry of Justice has proposed abolishing the edited electoral register as quickly as possible by amending legislation.
The proposal is included in a consultation document, Electoral Registers: Proposed Changes to the Edited Register, among several options for the register such as setting a timescale or trigger point for its abolition.
Another option is to abolish the edited register as soon as practicable, but extend access to the full register for other purposes to be decided by the consultation.
The debt collection industry has long argued that access to the full electoral roll should be extended to debt collectors and tracing firms to protect businesses and individuals from those who might abscond in a bid to avoid repaying debts.
A briefing note from Callcredit stated: "People who might be able to afford to pay their debts try to evade repayment through absconding. Removing access to the edited register without extending use of the full register for this purpose could make it easier for them to do so."
A fourth option proposed is retaining the edited register but imposing legal restrictions on who can purchase it and for what purposes. The two remaining proposals are: replacing the current opt-out provision with an opt-in provision and lastly, improving guidance for the public about the edited register.
Last year Credit Today ran a campaign against the proposal to stop the industry accessing the register and the comments are being fed into the consultation.