§ 1. Mr. Pageasked the Attorney-General whether he will initiate legislation o make it unnecessary for any documents to require to be under seal in order to acquire legal validity.
§ The Attorney-General (Sir Reginald Manningham-Buller)The Law Reform Committee is considering the law relating to the sealing of documents executed by bodies corporate. I am not aware that there is any case for amending the law relating to the sealing of other documents.
§ Mr. PageDoes not my right hon. and learned Friend agree that a considerable waste of time and many legal artificialities result from the requirement of seals on documents? Does he think that it enhances an individual's signature in any way to have a little red wafer alongside it, even if the individual goes through the archaic witchcraft of putting his finger on the seal, and saying, "I deliver this my act and deed"?
§ The Attorney-GeneralI think there is still some advantage in requiring some documents to be sealed.