§ Mr. Gareth WardellTo ask the Attorney-General what is for each of the last three years(a) the minimum length of time and (b) the maximum length of time that Her Majesty's Land Registry has taken to deal with a first registration application.
§ The Attorney-GeneralNo statistical information is available on either the maximum or the minimum processing times. The minimum processing time can be as low as one or two weeks for expedited applications and those where no queries arise. Some complex applications, involving clarification from an applicant's solicitors, take a considerable time to process.
The average time taken to process a first registration application is currently 27 weeks, compared with 30 weeks in 1989, 34 weeks in 1988 and 32 weeks in 1987.
§ Mr. Gareth WardellTo ask the Attorney-General on what date the Land Registration Act 1988 will come into force.
§ The Attorney-GeneralThe Lord Chancellor hopes to bring the Land Registration Act 1988 into force in December 1990. An announcement of the exact date will be made in due course.
§ Mr. Gareth WardellTo ask the Attorney-General what action he is taking to reduce the delays at Her Majesty's Land Registry in dealing with applications to register title.
§ The Attorney-GeneralSince 1 March 1987 the Land Registry has increased its work force by over 3,000 staff. In order to move work away from the south-east of England, where the recruitment and retention of staff is difficult, four new district registries have been opened and two more are planned in the near future. Computerisation of the application processing system will have been introduced at a total of eight district registries by the end of this year and by 1993 all district registries will operate the computerised system. Average completion times on all types of application to register title are improving steadily, unit cost targets are being met and productivity is at record levels.
§ Mr. Gareth WardellTo ask the Attorney-General what representations he has recieved regarding the delays at Her Majesty's Land Registry in dealing with applications to register title.
§ The Attorney-GeneralA total of 128 representations about delay were received by the Lord Chancellor between January and December 1989.