§ Mr. Gordon PrenticeTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when he expects all land to be registered. [29858]
§ Mr. HoonIn England and Wales, there are currently 16.5 million registered titles out of an estimated total of some 22 million. The number of registered titles increases each year through the compulsory provisions which requires the registration of all conveyances and transfers of freehold land, and land held under leases for a term of more than 21 years. From 1 April 1998, the Land Registration Rules 1997 will extend the compulsory `triggers' to include assents, vesting deeds, conveyances by way of gift, conveyances pursuant to a court order and first legal mortgages. This will accelerate the increase in the number of registered titles. However, land on which there is no change of ownership (such as that held by local authorities) may not be registered at all unless a voluntary application is made. It is, therefore, not possible to make any prediction on when all land in England and Wales will be registered.