The scope and complexity of the e-conveyancing programme often requires the Land Registry to collaborate on the development of new electronic services with many others from across the legal, lending and IT professions (see [2005] Gazette, 21 April, 9). It is rare for the registry to have such an opportunity and believes itself privileged to be in that position.


To show its commitment to developing services in conjunction with stakeholders, the registry has now entered into a number of agreements with stakeholder groups, not least the Law Society itself. As another example, it has recently signed an agreement with the Property Information Systems Common Exchange Standard (PISCES) to work together in the development of common standards for data exchange.


In case there is any misunderstanding about the nature of this agreement, the registry would like to clarify the terms under which it has been made. Ian Goodall, the former director of the e-conveyancing task force, signed the agreement with PISCES in January 2005.


It is a non-exclusive and non-binding agreement and the registry is not a member of the PISCES group. Both the registry and PISCES acknowledge that the development of e-conveyancing will benefit from a common standard and the registry will continue to explore developments in this area with PISCES, and with others, to bring this about.


Julie Barry, Land Registry, London