Modernising Government
The Land Registry has been reviewing and refining its business activities
for many years and there are a number of initiatives already planned or
in place that support the Government's programme. However, the Land Registry
will also be specifically concentrating on the areas of risk management,
corporate governance and policy making in line with the Government's Action
Plan. The Land Registry's Modernising Government Action Plan is
available from its Headquarters office (see paragraph
54). The following paragraphs provide information on the progress
already being made towards achieving this Plan.
Policy making
Regulatory Impact Assessment
The Land Registry is committed to the Government's Better Regulation
initiatives and to the Task Force's five principles of good regulation.
It is the Land Registry's policy to consult widely on regulatory issues
affecting land registration. For example, in the light of responses received
in respect of a consultative document on Real Time Priority, procedures
were modified and augmented.
Following the publication of the consultation paper Land
Registration for the Twenty First Century (Law Commission
254), comments were received from a wide range of consultees representing
both users of Land Registry services and academic lawyers. The respondents
generally supported most of the proposals for reform and modernisation
of the Land Registration Act 1925 contained in the consultation paper.
A Bill to give effect to the majority of the proposals (in some cases
with modifications arising from the consultation exercise) is currently
being drafted.
One of the major proposals is for the development, over a number of
years, of a system of largely paperless electronic conveyancing. Primary
legislation will be required to enable a full system of electronic conveyancing
to be introduced. However, the early stages of development will be possible
under existing legislation and under powers which will become available
when the Electronic
Communications Bill, currently before Parliament, reaches the
Statute Book. A feasibility study and a project with the aim of producing
a model of an electronic conveyancing system are currently proceeding.
Under the Land Registration Rules 1997 and 1999, 23 new forms were introduced
and 53 were revoked as part of the Land Registry's forms modernisation
initiative. It is estimated that a further 12 forms will require review.
The Land Registry publishes a series of Explanatory
Leaflets and Practice Advice Leaflets (in paper format and on
its web-site) to provide practical advice to practitioners and customers.
It also conducts 'Open Days' at its district land registries to encourage
interchange with professional conveyancers.
Human Rights Act 1998
This
Act, which will come into force on 2 October 2000, will incorporate
into domestic law the rights and freedoms guaranteed by the European
Convention on Human Rights.
The impact of the Act's provisions on the activities of the Land Registy
has been considered and a report submitted to the Lord Chancellor's Department
on the current position and future plans for implementation. Awareness
training for all Land Registry staff is being undertaken and a working
party has been established to co-ordinate the implementation.
Restoration of price paid
In the light of an extensive consultation exercise carried out in 1997,
the Lord Chancellor has decided to restore price paid to the Land Register.
All applications received by the Land Registry on or after 1 April 2000
will have the price paid entered on the Register where it is practicable
to do so. As with other data, the Register will provide only current information.
Therefore, on a subsequent change of ownership, the original price paid
will be removed from the Register.
Responsive public services
Fee levels
In keeping with its principle of providing prompt delivery of quality
services at lower costs, the Land Registry reduced fees paid by its customers
by 5% from 1 October 1999.
Service First
The Land Registry has been awarded the Charter
Mark on three successive occasions and continues to build on its
reputation as a highly successful Executive Agency to become a world-class
provider of land registration services and information. This means an
organisation which continuously strives to improve the quality of its
service to customers; which brings together the best aspects of public
service and which facilitates commerce by providing the confidence and
security necessary for a stable market economy.
The Land Registry fully embraces the nine principles of public service
delivery contained within the Service
First Charter programme.
Improving quality of service
The Land Registry has a Quality Improvement Programme based on continuous
improvement in all internal processes and customer service. For the last
three years, it has conducted annual self assessments at Agency and business
unit level using the European Foundation
for Quality Management Excellence Model. Areas for improvement
are translated into actions and incorporated into national and local business
plans. Encompassing Charter Mark and Investors in People standards, self
assessment provides a comprehensive 'health check' which drives continuous
improvement and facilitates the spread of better practice.
Investors in People
All 27 Land Registry business units achieved IiP recognition within
the deadline set by the Cabinet Office. Work is now underway with IiP
UK to achieve single Agency recognition. In addition, the Land
Registry has provided a case study to the Cabinet Office which will be
included in a report to Ministers on the benefits of achieving IiP in
the Civil Service.
Invest To Save funding
The Land Registry, Ordnance Survey and Registers of Scotland were successful
in a joint bid for Invest to Save Budget funds to develop a National Land
Information Service (NLIS) and its Scottish equivalent (ScotLIS). The
amount granted jointly to the Land Registry and Registers of Scotland
was £2.7 million. An essential component of NLIS/ScotLIS is the National
Land and Property Gazetteer (NLPG). The Land Registry is the lead
organisation for NLIS, Ordnance Survey for the NLPG and Registers of Scotland
for ScotLIS.
The overall concept of NLIS/ScotLIS is to promote the electronic delivery
of land and property related information to a wide audience. However,
the initial target for NLIS is the delivery of integrated land and property
information search facilities which will support the conveyancing process.
ScotLIS will be piloting 'shopping mall' type access to certain statutory
registers and associated information.
It is envisaged that NLIS and ScotLIS will be developed in parallel
so that a nation-wide UK mainland system can be implemented simultaneously
in England, Wales and Scotland.
The development of NLIS and ScotLIS will be a partnership between local
authorities represented by the Improvement and Development Agency (I&DeA),
Land Registry and Registers of Scotland respectively.
The NLIS prospectus was issued to the private sector on 8 October 1999.
This document included a Joint Statement by the Lord Chancellor and the
Chairman of the I&DeA describing NLIS as the first 'lead service'
to be implemented under the Central and Local Government Information Age
Concordat in fulfilment of Objective 43 of the Modernising
Government Action Plan. The first stage of the selection process
to find private sector consortia was completed on 8 February 2000.
Better Quality Services
The Land Registry's Better Quality Services plan to 2005 has been accepted
by the Cabinet Office. A 10 year public/private partnership deal to provide
the required IT infrastructure was signed in July 1999 and these IT services
will be benchmarked during the period covered by the plan.
All administrative activities within the Land Registry will be included
in the Quinquennial Review mentioned in paragraph 2
above. Depending on the results of this Review, further Better Quality
Services will be planned.
Information Age Government
The Land Registry's information systems strategy over the next two years
and beyond, centres on the following initiatives:
- upgrading its existing mainframe/dumb terminal IT infrastructure
to a client server architecture
- progressively converting the remainder of its Register and filed
plan records and implementing programmes for the conversion of deeds
and Land Charges records by means of outsourced scanning contracts
- continued implementation of a programme of computerisation of
its mapping systems and the re-engineering of map and Register processing
functions into a single handling system
- after consultation with the user community, designing and developing
systems which will support electronic conveyancing, building on the
facilities currently available on its existing Direct Access Service.
The upgrading and maintenance of the Land Registry's distributed IT
infrastructure will be pursued under public/private partnership arrangements
established under contract with COMPAQ in July 1999.
All remaining Registers will be converted by 2002-2003 and all filed
plan records by August 2000.
A new web-based direct access service, to be known as Land Registry
Direct, will be launched during 2000-2001 and will provide its customers
with access to all converted Register, plan and deeds records, together
with other land registration services. The customer base for Land Registry
Direct will continue to be expanded under public/private partnership arrangements
established with Global Crossing (formerly RACAL Telecom), a communication
service provider.
Government Secure Intranet
The necessary firewalls and security are in place and an application
for GSI accreditation has been submitted.
The Prime Minister's 25% target
The Land Registry plans to be 92% electronically capable by 2002.
Investment
Capital assets
Information regarding the Land Registry's capital assets can be obtained
from the published accounts contained in its Annual Report and Accounts.
People management
Staffing
The Land Registry's staff resource is geared to its planned level of
output taking into account the assistance that effective information technology
can provide in the production process.
Equal opportunities
Equality of opportunities remains a high level commitment. Following
internal studies, the Land Registry is currently developing a managing
diversity strategy which will enable it to maximise individual potential.
The strategy will include an action plan to take matters forward and to
ensure that policies are fairly and evenly applied and that targets are
achieved.
Human resource policy is kept under regular review to ensure that both
business and quality needs are addressed. Women currently comprise 10
% of the Management Board and occupy 19% of posts covered by the Senior
Civil Service. Within the grades which feed directly into the Senior Civil
Service, 33% are women, 2% are from ethnic minority groups and 4% are
staff with disabilities.
Recruitment
An outline of the Land Registry's activity in the field of recruitment
during 1998-99 is set out in the Annual Report and Accounts. The recruitment
process itself focuses on the competence requirements for the posts to
be filled. The agreed policy for 1999 through to 2001 is to recruit only
to replace staff who have left the Land Registry's employment.
The Land Registry has also undertaken recruitment to a number of senior
specialist positions, recognising the benefits of a balance between bringing
in external talent and developing those talents from within. Assessment
centre techniques have been introduced for selection to key senior management
appointments.
Public appointments
The Lord Chancellor appointed Mr Peter Collis as Chief Land Registrar
and Chief Executive on 1 November 1999 following open competition. Mr
Collis, who was previously the Director of Finance and Commercial Policy
at the Employment Services Agency, replaced Dr Stuart Hill who took over
as Chief Executive at the House Builders Federation.
The environment
The Green Minister for the Land Registry is the Lord Chancellor's Department's
Parliamentary Secretary, David Lock MP.
The Land Registry's strategy to target and contain energy consumption
continues. However, plans have now been developed to implement environmental
management on a wider scale and to secure accreditation to the ISO 14001
standard. It is intended that at least one of the Land Registry's Business
Units will have achieved this standard by 2001.
The official responsible for green issues at the Land Registry is the
Controller of Management Services who can be contacted on 020 7917 8888
Ext 4547.
Further information
Further information on the Land Registry can be found in:
HM Land Registry, Executive Agency Framework Document 1995 (available
from the Land Registry)
Land Registry Annual Report and Accounts 1998-99 (The Stationery Office)
The Land Registration Fees Order 1999 (SI 1999/2254)
HM Land Registry Residential Property Price Quarterly Reports (available
from the Land Registry).
For more information on the work of the Land Registry contact:
HM Land Registry
Lincoln's Inn Fields
London WC2A 3PH
Tel: 020 7917 8888
Fax: 020 7955 0110
www.landreg.gov.uk
