Land registry spearheads leading UN conference

Citation

(2000), "Land registry spearheads leading UN conference", Property Management, Vol. 18 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/pm.2000.11318bab.025

Land registry spearheads leading UN conference

Over 30 countries worldwide were represented at a prestigious two-day conference and workshop on land registration. HM Land Registry, on behalf of the United Nations, hosted the event launched in London.

The MOLA Conference (Meeting of Officials on Land Administration) was opened by The Lord Chancellor, Lord Irvine of Lairg.

Since the political upheaval faced by countries in Central and Eastern Europe at the beginning of the decade, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) has led an initiative to restore private land rights and a functioning land and mortgage market to these emerging democracies.

Acting Chief Land Registrar, Ted Beardsall, said:

This programme has a high priority, as the freedom to hold, acquire, transfer and dispose of land is seen by the UN as an essential freedom, as well as the basis of social stability and an effective market economy.

The UNECE recognised that land registration provided the means whereby private land rights could be secured and guaranteed, so that effective systems of land transfer and mortgage lending could be developed.

The UK's land registration system is one of the world leaders in its field, using cutting edge technology and a system that has been tried and tested for over a century. HM Land Registry is honoured to host such a prestigious event to share this expertise with representatives from all over the world, and to assist the UNECE achieve its aims.

The Lord Chancellor said:

The finest of our institutional and administrative systems, on which so much of our everyday lives depend, are unobtrusive. Such is the way of the very best of land registration systems around the world. Indeed, it is often only when they mallfunction that these systems become a matter of public awareness.

Making such a freedom a reality requires sound laws, stable institutions and practical procedures that work. Guaranteed land rights underpin the confidence that must exist between the people, businesses, financial institutions and the elected governments of the day. Good land administrations systems, impartially administered, provide the basis of that confidence.

I am very pleased that the Land Registry has contributed in a practical way to the important work of the United Nations. I commend all of you in the important work that you do. It is an excellent example of successful cultural co-operation and the sharing of diverse experiences to build strong, lasting, mutually beneficial relationships across Europe.

The role of MOLA is to bring together officials and experts from all member states of the UNECE with a view to providing advice and practical assistance on legal, institutional, managerial and technical aspects of "land administration" (this term encompasses primarily land registration but also national mapping, land valuation and land use). The host organization for MOLA is HM Land Registry. Delegates from its sister organizations, Registers of Scotland and the Land Registry of Northern Ireland, will be present, as will the Ordnance Survey. Registers of Scotland and the Ordnance Survey, like HM Land Registry, have been active supporters and contributors.

For the latest updates on property price information and other material published by the Land Registry, visit the Web site at: http://www.landreg.gov.uk/