Land Registry (Hansard, 12 December 2001)

§ The Lord Chancellor

The Government have approved a wide-ranging programme of work in response to the review. Details will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

HM Land Registry is committed to providing the world's best service for guaranteeing ownership of land, and for facilitating property-related transactions. As a fourth time Charter Mark winner, the Land Registry already delivers excellent service to its customers. Further improvements to its internal operations recommended by the review are being pursued vigorously. By bringing forward this wider work programme, the Land Registry can, with the help of other government departments and stakeholders, develop innovative and customer focused services for an even better service.

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The main elements of the wider programme, much of which depends on the Land Registration Bill introduced in July, are to develop and promote electronic conveyancing services, including the National Land Information Service; expand the geographic coverage and content of the land register; explore ways in which the land register can contribute to making the property markets more efficient and more transparent; consider the business case for providing further advisory services relating to land registration by 2003; and launch a new independent adjudication service for land registration disputes in 2003.

Those elements of the programme which are for the Land Registry to take forward, will be delivered through a new 10-year strategic plan which I shall publish in the spring.

I and ministerial colleagues in other departments with responsibility for land and property markets will monitor the delivery of the programme closely. We will also review the arrangements for consultation across and between government and those involved in these markets.