Home Office proposals to prevent the electoral roll from being used
for commercial purposes met with further opposition last week, when the
Representation of the People Bill had its second reading in the House of
Commons.
As a result, the committee stage, which the proposals have now reached,
will be held on the floor of the Commons itself, rather than the more
usual closed committee, which will allow all parties to have a say.
During the second reading, the Tories reiterated their support for the
direct marketing industry, first stated in the report made by the
Conservative Research Department.
Support for the industry also came from the Labour benches. Stephen
Pound MP said: ’I am concerned the commercial and charitable
organisations will not be allowed access to the electoral roll for
credit purposes. That could easily be costly and
counter-productive.’
John Watson, the chairman of WWAV Rapp Collins and a key lobbyist
against the moves, said: ’The Government cannot continue to turn a deaf
ear to the protests, especially since the proposals will disadvantage
not just businesses but consumers. As virtually everyone now seems to
recognise, the proposals will lead to greater social exclusion from
financial services.’
