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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/money/2016/sep/07/land-registery-sell-off-plan-put-on-hold
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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Land Registry sell-off plan put on hold | Land Registry sell-off plan put on hold |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Controversial plans to sell off the Land Registry have been put on hold, while ministers review responses to the government’s consultation. | |
| The Queen’s speech in May included an outline of a neighbourhood planning bill, which the government said would enable the privatisation of the Land Registry, which keeps records on property ownership in England and Wales. | The Queen’s speech in May included an outline of a neighbourhood planning bill, which the government said would enable the privatisation of the Land Registry, which keeps records on property ownership in England and Wales. |
| However, that element does not appear in the bill set to go before parliament on Wednesday. | However, that element does not appear in the bill set to go before parliament on Wednesday. |
| A government source said: “No decision has been taken on the future of the Land Registry. A consultation on the Land Registry’s future closed in May and we are carefully considering our response. It is only right that new ministers take time to look at all their options before making a decision.” | A government source said: “No decision has been taken on the future of the Land Registry. A consultation on the Land Registry’s future closed in May and we are carefully considering our response. It is only right that new ministers take time to look at all their options before making a decision.” |
| The proposed £1bn sale of the Land Registry, which was announced on the eve of the Easter break, has attracted criticism from a range of groups, including solicitors, media firms and the UK’s competition watchdog. | The proposed £1bn sale of the Land Registry, which was announced on the eve of the Easter break, has attracted criticism from a range of groups, including solicitors, media firms and the UK’s competition watchdog. |
| They warned that it could make it harder and more costly to access information, leading to a lack of transparency over property ownership. A petition against the plans has been signed by 317,930 people. | They warned that it could make it harder and more costly to access information, leading to a lack of transparency over property ownership. A petition against the plans has been signed by 317,930 people. |
| The Land Registry keeps the official record of commercial and residential land ownership in England and Wales, holding 24m titles for properties. Data is available to the general public via searches at £3 each, and used by other organisations to provide a range of services including house price indices. | The Land Registry keeps the official record of commercial and residential land ownership in England and Wales, holding 24m titles for properties. Data is available to the general public via searches at £3 each, and used by other organisations to provide a range of services including house price indices. |
| A letter from the MP for Tottenham, David Lammy, attracted more than 60 signatures from MPs across the political spectrum. Lammy welcomed the news that the privatisation had been dropped from the bill. | |
| “This is a great victory for Land Registry staff, campaigners and the people and businesses who use the Land Registry’s services. It is also good news for transparency and openness in our property market,” he said. | “This is a great victory for Land Registry staff, campaigners and the people and businesses who use the Land Registry’s services. It is also good news for transparency and openness in our property market,” he said. |
| “I am pleased that the government has seen sense and decided to postpone this misguided privatisation, but this is not over yet. I call on the government to now formally announce that they will be completely scrapping these plans.” | “I am pleased that the government has seen sense and decided to postpone this misguided privatisation, but this is not over yet. I call on the government to now formally announce that they will be completely scrapping these plans.” |
| The Public and Commercial Services union, which represents Land Registry employees, said it did not believe this was the end of the issue, and it would be continuing to monitor the situation. | The Public and Commercial Services union, which represents Land Registry employees, said it did not believe this was the end of the issue, and it would be continuing to monitor the situation. |
| Its general secretary, Mark Serwotka, said: “We showed two years ago, and again this time round, that selling off the Land Registry would be stupid and wrong, serving only private companies looking to profit from homeowners’ data. | Its general secretary, Mark Serwotka, said: “We showed two years ago, and again this time round, that selling off the Land Registry would be stupid and wrong, serving only private companies looking to profit from homeowners’ data. |
| “We welcome the government’s pause, but the plan should be scrapped in its entirety, never to see the light of day again, and the Land Registry should remain fully in public hands.” | “We welcome the government’s pause, but the plan should be scrapped in its entirety, never to see the light of day again, and the Land Registry should remain fully in public hands.” |
| The Law Society welcomed the decision to delay any sale, saying it was a sign that concerns were being taken seriously. | The Law Society welcomed the decision to delay any sale, saying it was a sign that concerns were being taken seriously. |
| “Privatising the Land Registry would create a range of serious risks to this vital piece of national infrastructure, which supports and ensures the integrity of property ownership in this country,” said the society’s president, Robert Bourns. | “Privatising the Land Registry would create a range of serious risks to this vital piece of national infrastructure, which supports and ensures the integrity of property ownership in this country,” said the society’s president, Robert Bourns. |
| “All implications must be fully considered before any decision on whether to sell is made.” | “All implications must be fully considered before any decision on whether to sell is made.” |
| Previous plans to privatise the organisation in 2014 were dropped after the intervention of Vince Cable, the then business secretary. |