§ 3.14 p.m.
§ Lord GainfordMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will increase the number of local authorities required to publish land registers of vacant and under-used land in their ownership, so as to include all Inner London boroughs and metropolitan district councils.
§ Lord BellwinMy Lords, Her Majesty's Government do not propose at this stage to increase the number of 33 districts and London boroughs which are currently designated for registers, but it is expected that the scheme will be extended later in the light of experience.
§ Lord GainfordMy Lords, I thank my noble friend the Minister for that Answer. In the light of the proposals of Her Majesty's Government for the use of vacant and under-used land, and bearing in mind the importance of the land registry offices concerned, is there any likelihood of difficulties arising from the fact that land registration is so specialised a profession that it is almost an esoteric mystery to the outsider? Will any obstacles to administration arise from the fact that, where land has changed hands a number of times, some of the land registry offices are in danger of becoming mausoleums of parchment?
§ Lord BellwinMy Lords, I should have thought that one of the objects of the legislation is to ensure that the mausoleums to which my noble friend refers are opened up and air is allowed in, so that one can see exactly what is available. With regard to the first part of his supplementary question, the scheme is in its relatively early days. Indeed, the registers are not to be published until April, and so we want to see what experience is gained after the scheme comes into operation.