§ Mr. Weetchasked the Attorney-General if he will update the written answer to the hon. Member for Ipswich on 3 June 1980 in respect of the average period of processing registration applications on first and subsequent registrations by all regional offices of the Land Registry.
The Solicitor-GeneralThe average times in cases which are in order are 23 working days for a dealing with registered land where no new title is created and 69 working days for a new title.
§ Mr. Weetchasked the Attorney-General if he will update the written answer given to the hon. Member for Ipswich on 3 June 1980 concerning the numbers currently 56W employed in the various regional offices of the Land Registry having a responsibility for conveyancing residential property.
The Solicitor-GeneralOn 1 December 1980 at district registries—all of which deal with residential property—the numbers were as follows:
Number Birkenhead 272 Croydon 354 Durham 339 Gloucester 569 Harrow 455 Lytham 512 Norttingham 621 Peterborough 163 Plymouth 366 Stevenage 477 Swansea 300 Tunbridge Wells 603 Weymouth 238
§ Mr. Weetchasked the Attorney-General what progress has been made with computerisation of information within the Land Registry as recommended by the Royal Commission on legal services.
The Solicitor-GeneralIn the registration of title department of the Land Registry, a large part of the index of proprietors' names—relating to nearly nine million names—is now held as a computer record. A means of automating the priority record—the day list—has been devised and is being tested at the Plymouth district land registry. Steady progress is being made in the development programme for the introduction of a fully computerised registration system. The computerised system in the land charges department continues to operate efficiently.
§ Mr. Weetchasked the Attorney-General whether, in view of the current financial surplus of the Land Registry, he will lower the registration fee for (a) the first registration and (b) subsequent registration of residential property.
The Solicitor-GeneralThe fees in the registration of title department of the Land Registry are currently being revised and the fee order is being restructured. The value bands in the fee scales relating to first registration and the registration of subsequent dealings with registered property are being widened and extended, with the result that, in the main range of values, there are both small increases and reductions. Fees have been increased at the very bottom and at the top of the scales. There are no special provisions for residential property.