§ 15. Mr. Hector Hughesasked the Attorney-General if he is aware of the delay which at present occurs in the work of the Land Registry; what is the cause of this; and if he will take steps to have the work there expedited.
§ The Solicitor-GeneralI would refer my hon. and learned Friend to the answer given by my right hon. and learned Friend the Attorney-General to a Question by the hon. Member for Orpington (Sir W. Smithers) on 2nd May, from which he will see that my right hon. and learned Friend is aware of the delays in the Land Registry and that arrangements to shorten them are in train. The cause of the delays is still a shortage of trained staff. Since May the staff has been increased by 25 per cent., but this increase is largely offset by a corresponding increase in the intake of work in the Registry due to the return of staff to solicitors' offices during the same period. The total delay in effecting registration of title has nevertheless been reduced. I may say that efforts to improve the position are in no way being relaxed.