To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether legal guidance has been given to (a) the Audit Commission and (b) local authorities on the request by the Audit Commission to certain local authorities to use their electoral register data as part of the national fraud initiative. (191631)

Government have not given legal guidance on this issue either to the Audit Commission or to local authorities. However, we are aware that the Audit Commission has circulated legal advice, which it has received, to the local authorities from whom data has been requested.