HC Deb 05 February 2002 vol 379 cc903-4W
Mr. George Howarth

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many complaints he has received about the accuracy of the Land Registry in the last 12 months. [32049]

Mr. Wills

During the calendar year 2001, the Land Registry received 368 complaints relating to errors and incorrect information being supplied.

Mr. George Howarth

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many staff from the Land Registry are employed outside London; and in which locations. [32574]

Mr. Wills

Currently there are 7,623 staff employed by the Land Registry outside central London. The breakdown by location is as follows:

Number
Birkenhead 510
Coventry 302
Croydon 213
Durham 678
Gloucester 423
Harrow 257
Hull 291
Lytham 502
Leicester 286
Nottingham 633
Peterborough 402
Plymouth 757
Portsmouth 213
Stevenage 387
Swansea 618
Telford 330
Tunbridge Wells 275
Weymouth 389
York 157

Mr. George Howarth

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what representations he has received on reform of the Land Registry. [32048]

Mr. Wills

Last year, I received the report of the Quinquennial Review of the Land Registry's status and business operations. This report was published in June 2001 and is available on the Land Registry's website www.landreg.gov.uk.

Ministers have accepted the independent reviewer's recommendation that the Land Registry should continue to operate as a separate Government Department and executive agency with trading fund status.

On 12 December 2001, Official Report, column 915W, I announced that the Government had approved an interdepartmental programme of work in response to the report of the Quinquennial Review. Recommendations in the report which relate to the business processes of the Land Registry are being taken forward under the framework of a 10-year strategic business plan which, subject to ministerial approval, will be published in the spring.