The direct marketing industry has won further concessions from the
government following last week’s decision to delay planned restrictions
on commercial use of the electoral roll.
The Direct Marketing Association (DMA) has now been informed by Home
Office minister Mike O’Brien that it will be fully consulted on the
wording of a leaflet which will accompany a box allowing voters to
opt-out. O’Brien had not previously said whether the industry would be
able to contribute to the wording.
The DMA also welcomed a decision by the Home Office to delay the timing
of the changes by a year to allow more time for it to draft the new
rules.
The government had planned to implement the changes in time for the
annual update of the roll in October. The delay gives the DMA extra time
to push for the full electoral roll to be made available for data
cleaning.
Colin Fricker, the DMA’s director of legal affairs, said: ’The Home
Office has indicated that it is open to consultation, which is a first.
We are still pushing for some limited commercial use of the roll for
cleaning of data, and where there is life, there is hope.’
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