Miscellaneous and general funds
Land Registration Bill [Lords]
3:15 pm
Mr Michael Wills (Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department; North Swindon, Labour)
That was the only moment during our proceedings when I saw the hon. Gentleman's attention flag for even a second. I thought that I should bring him back to the task that faces us all.
I mentioned the provision in the Land Registration Rules 1925. The Bill addresses that by inserting a new subsection into section 6 of the Law of Property (Miscellaneous Provision) Act 1994. That insertion does not exactly replicate existing law but the differences are not material. As a consequence, the law is made clearer, more coherent and more accessible. The rule-making powers in schedule 10 are fairly limited in scope but are, nonetheless, important. They are designed purely to ensure that everyone knows when implied covenants have been given in relation to a transaction and whether the statutory form of covenant has been modified in any way.
There is no intention—I suspect that the hon. Gentleman may fear that there is—to tinker with the precise wording of implied covenants that have been developed and refined over the centuries. I hope that that reassurance will enable the hon. Gentleman to withdraw the amendment.