THE alarm has been raised over parliamentary constituencies in the North-East where thousands of voters have "disappeared".

Eleven North-East seats appear on a list of the 84 constituencies where electoral rolls have shrunk dramatically since 1999.

The Government is being urged to prosecute people who refuse to register - or alternatively to introduce the incentive of prize draws - in a bid to reverse the decline.

The 11 North-East seats include Stockton North, which has lost 4,693 voters - 7.2 per cent of its electorate - since 1999.

Close behind are Sunderland North (4,196 voters or 6.6 per cent), Middlesbrough (3,611 voters, 5.1 per cent), Stockton South (3,335 voters, 4.7 per cent) and Sunderland South (3,039 voters, 4.6 per cent).

Chris Ruane, Labour MP for the Vale of Clwyd, who revealed the list during a parliamentary debate, said: "This has a very damaging effect on democracy."

Mr Ruane said one possible explanation was that people were attempting to stop credit agencies tracking them down, as those agencies had access to the register.

Elections Minister Christopher Leslie said people could already be hit with a £1,000 fine if they refused to register.

He said the Government would listen to Electoral Commission recommendations on how to encourage registration, but gave no commitment to adopt them.

He argued that newer electoral rolls may be more accurate with fewer names, because they had weeded out details that were no longer correct.

People were now able to register all year round, instead of during one month, and those without permanent addresses - remand prisoners, hospital patients and the homeless - could also register, he said.