There are two versions of the electoral roll. The full electoral roll shows everyone registered to vote. (Although we all have the choice as to whether to vote or not, it's a criminal offence not to put your name on the register when the appropriate form drops through the door). The full electoral role is a public document and anyone may consult it at local council offices or at many libraries. Copies of the full role, however, are not available for sale so, for example, companies who send out mailshots can't make use of it. (There are some organisatins, however, including the police and credit reference agencies, who may have access to the full roll).
The edited electoral roll is exactly that - an edited version of the full role. If you place an 'X' in the relevant box on the registration form, your name will be omitted from the edited role. This is important if you want to cut down on the amount of junk mail you receive because the edited roll is available for sale to anyone who wants a copy.
So you can hide your identity or location from people who purchase the edited roll but you can't hide the details from anyone who consults the full roll.
http://www.mycallcredit.com/rewrite.asp?displa y=showarticle&con=FAQ&cat=ElectoralRol l&article=5&page=1
Chris