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Many family historians and genealogists use the edited version of the Electoral Register in their search for living extended family members. Currently FACHRS are aware of two subscription sources; FindMyPast and 192 dot com from where searches for living relatives are possible.
The Electoral Commission and the Association of Electoral Administrators have argued that the electoral register should only be used for electoral purposes. Dr Mark Walport (Director of the Wellcome Trust) and Richard Thomas (Information Commissioner at the time) argued in the Data Sharing Review that: “…selling the edited register is an unsatisfactory way for local authorities to treat personal information”.
The Government is to consider a range of options for the future of the Edited Register, including abolition, changing the process by which individuals are included on it or improving public awareness of the Edited Register.
The Ministry of Justice have published a Consultation Paper CP 46/09, on 24 November 2009, that is available as a PDF download and is now seeking views from those who may be directly affected about the options set out in its paper.
Because this matter is of such importance to family historians and those of our members engaged in genealogical research, as a service to our members FACHRS has extracted and reproduced the Government's questionnaire which we invite you to complete. The consolidated results will then be submitted to the Ministry of Justice in accordance with the process identified by the Ministry of Justice in the paper. Although our FACHRS reproduction of the questionnaire requests the name and membership number of members who complete the questionnaire, this is for FACHRS administrative verification purposes only and no personal data will be passed on by FACHRS as part of the consolidated submission.
In order to provide feedback to those who take part in this survey we will publish the result on our web site after 23 February 2010, that being the last date set by the government for submissions to them. The questionnaire will close on the 17 February 2010 to allow sufficient time for the consolidated report to be produced by FACHRS and submitted to the Ministry of Justice in time.
If you wish to take part in the survey and have your opinion passed to the Ministry of Justice in our consolidated submission, follow these steps.
Download and read Consultation Paper CP 46/09
Take part in the survey
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