The Government's information commissioner has said councils should be banned from selling personal details to companies. The recommendations came in an independent Data sharing review by information commissioner, Richard Thomas, which was ordered by prime minister, Gordon Brown, last October, into the way the public and private sectors handle personal information. Although only 60% of people agree to let councils sell their details, the report found ‘the language used on these forms can be confusing, and many people do not realise it is the edited register that is on public sale.' Council leaders said they were happy to accept the recommendation even though it meant losing revenue. A spokesperson for the LGA, said: ‘It doesn't generate a significant amount of money for individual councils, raising no more than a few thousand pounds a year for most town halls. ‘When they register to vote, people are specifically asked if they want to be removed from the version of the electoral register that can be sold on – and many people do opt out.'
