HC Deb 05 December 1911 vol 32 cc1375-6W
Mr. REMNANT

asked the Attorney-General whether he is aware that the Land Transfer Commission were limited by the terms of their reference to reporting on the working of the Land Transfer Acts and as to whether any Amendments were desirable; that the terms precluded the Commission from recommending the rescission of the order applying compulsory registration to the county of London; whether the Commission reported that the system of compulsory registration as it is now in operation in the county of London is imperfect, and that they could not recommend the extension outside of London of an imperfect system; and whether, in view of the fact that solicitors have more intimacy with the work of conveyancing than any other class of the community, and that not one of the ten signatories to the recent Report was a solicitor, the Lord Chancellor will consider the expediency of appointing a Royal Commission to be left entirely free to consider on its merits the question as to whether or not a system of registration of title is desirable or practical, and will provide that the Commission shall include an adequate number of solicitors?

Sir RUFUS ISAACS

I do not agree with the assumptions of the hon. Member's question, but I cannot discuss within the limits of an answer to a question the effect of the terms of reference or the Report of the Royal Commission. In regard to that part of the question which asks whether the Lord Chancellor will consider the expediency of appointing a Royal Commission as suggested, the answer is in the negative. The Government does not consider that any useful purpose would be served by appointing a Royal Commission to consider again a principle which has already been affirmed on several occasions by Parliament.