In August 2017, we announced plans to trial a wider set of rejection criteria on first registration applications (FR1). Following successful tests four new rejection criteria will be applied from today (8 October 2018), when:

• an AP1 application form is submitted instead of an FR1 application form
• panel 3 of the FR1 is not completed (extent of land sought to be registered)
• panel 5 of the FR1 is not completed or no fee has been lodged (value of land and fee paid)
• panel 12 of FR1 is not completed (certificate of title)

The notes in the side panels of form FR1 have been updated.

In our customer charter we set out our commitment to customers, and how by working together we’ll achieve simpler, faster and cheaper conveyancing.

We commit to be open and transparent in our dealings with customers and to deliver accuracy standards, but customers need to play their part. We are working hard to achieve these goals and balance customer needs against the duty we hold to land and property owners. Internally we are improving our caseworkers’ practices to enhance the quality of the data we share and the consistency of the application enquiries (requisitions) we send you.

Following the success of last year’s test to widen the rejection criteria we will trial a further 6 criteria from today. The Registration Completion Service (RCS) have been consulted about the changes and implementation date.

Three criteria relate to the first registration application form (FR1). We feel customers should get these points right every time. During the trial applications will be rejected when:

• the first option in panel 3 of the FR1 has been completed (the attached plan and shown), but a plan hasn’t been supplied
• the extent of the land sought to be registered cannot be clearly identified on the Ordnance Survey map from the description provided in panel 3, or documentation sent with the application
• panels 14 to 16 are completed incorrectly

The other 3 rejection criteria relate to applications for first registration that rely on copy deeds:

• when the conveyancer’s certificate has not been sent
• when a mix of copy and original deeds have been sent with an application that contains a conveyancer’s certificate
• when all copy deeds have not been certified within 3 months of sending them to us, or the certification is undated, or the address of the conveyancer is not included in the certification

Previously, when the conveyancer’s certificate had not been sent with the application, or a combination of copy and original deeds were sent, we sent you an application enquiry requesting the original deeds. From today, rejected applications for these points can be resent with the copy deeds, allowing original deeds to be retained in your possession.

In the past, when the copy deeds were not certified correctly, we requested additional certified copies. From today, when these applications are rejected we will return the certified copy deeds to you for amendment.

Business customers can find out:

We will continue to monitor and review the trial to determine its impact and will keep you updated on its progress.

Location-based information or geospatial data, is an increasingly valuable tool for businesses and public-sector organisations. The government’s Geospatial Commission, announced in 2017, has been established to improve the quality of key, publicly-held data and make it easier to access and use. By doing so, it is estimated the commission will unlock up to £11 billion of extra value for the UK economy each year.

As one of the 6 partner organisations on the commission (Geo6), the UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO) holds a broad range of UK marine geospatial data ranging from the seabed to the ocean’s surface. This includes high resolution bathymetry depicting the seafloor, as well as information on the water itself like density, salinity, temperature and movement. Specialist teams also process information on maritime security, marine life, maritime limits and more. This data is vital to helping organisations make better use of the marine environment and use ocean resources in a sustainable way.

In collaboration with our Geo6 partners, the British Geological Survey, Coal Authority, HM Land Registry, Ordnance Survey and the Valuation Office, the UKHO will deliver 4 exploratory projects:

• Data discoverability – assessing and improving access to current data sets

• Linked identifiers – supporting users to bring different data together in valuable new ways

• Licencing – working towards simple, common licensing terms to increase data use

• Enhancing core data assets – using third party data to improve the quality of data and make its collection more efficient

Commenting on the announcement, John Humphrey CEO at the UK Hydrographic Office said:

Marine geospatial data is fundamental to helping us to make better use of the marine environment and ensure its protection for years to come. It’s the foundation on which to develop tourism and trade, as well as support disaster resilience and climate change mitigation.

As a marine geospatial agency, we are experts in sourcing and processing this location-based information, from seabed to surface. By leveraging our data-handling expertise, whether in hydrography and oceanography or software development and data science, we aim to help the Geospatial Commission maximise the value of this data to the UK.

The research increases the CMA’s expertise at a time of widespread scrutiny of pricing algorithms and how they interact with competition law.

Pricing algorithms are commonplace online and used regularly by businesses. The research posed key questions, including:

• can algorithms aid ‘personalised pricing’, where customers are shown different prices for the same products, based on factors like their browsing history?

• can they aid price fixing, where two or more companies collude together to raise their prices to customers?

Whilst there was little evidence of companies using algorithms to show personalised prices, the study did find that they were sometimes used to change the order in which products are shown to shoppers. It also found that algorithms can be used to help implement illegal price fixing and, under certain circumstances, could encourage the formation of cartels. However, the risk of algorithms colluding without human involvement is currently less clear.

In compiling the research, the CMA examined a wide range of literature and gathered information from firms offering legal price setting services. It also conducted online mystery shopping tests across various websites.

The findings will now be used to inform work across the CMA’s portfolio, as it continues to expand its expertise in the digital sector.

Read the pricing algorithms research paper in full.

Business Secretary Greg Clark has appointed Andy Haldane to be Chair of the Industrial Strategy Council, an independent body set up to assess the government’s progress on the commitments made in its modern Industrial Strategy.

Mr Haldane is the Chief Economist of the Bank of England where he is responsible for research and statistics as well as being a member of the Monetary Policy Committee.

The Council will meet for the first time at the beginning of November. Mr Haldane will be joined by senior individuals from business, academia and civil society from all corners of the UK.

Business Secretary Greg Clark said:

We are getting on with delivering the modern Industrial Strategy with record levels of investment in R&D, the fastest growth in infrastructure spending in the G7, the biggest shakeup to technical education in a generation and Sector Deals to put the UK at the forefront of the industries of the future.

The Industrial Strategy Council has an important role to play holding the government to account by monitoring its success delivering the Industrial Strategy and its impact on the economy.

I am delighted that Andy Haldane has taken on this important role which will give the Council authority and independence, as well as the benefit of his thought leadership in this area.

Chief Economist of the Bank of England Andy Haldane said:

The Industrial Strategy is one of the most critical strands of work taking place across government and has the potential to raise living standards across the whole of the UK, boost people’s earning powers and put the UK at the forefront of future industries internationally.

I am delighted and honoured to take the role of Chair of the Industrial Strategy Council and look forward to working with leading business men and women, investors, economists, and academics to provide impartial and independent evaluations of the government’s progress in delivering on the Industrial Strategy.

Governor of the Bank of England Mark Carney said:

Productivity is an important determinant of the Monetary Policy Committee’s forecasts for economic growth and inflation. Understanding the impact of the government’s policies on the outlook for productivity is therefore of great importance to the Bank’s work. Andy’s new role will help both to deepen that understanding and, consistent with our remit, to support the government’s objectives for growth and employment.

The work programme of the Council will be developed by the Chair and its members and its remit will include reviewing the impact of the Industrial Strategy to date and its contribution to UK economic growth, as well as recommending a series of success measures for the implementation of the Industrial Strategy White Paper.

It will also provide advice on delivery against these measures and their contribution to UK economic growth and ways to improve the measurement of success, particularly in terms of productivity and the better use of data across government.

The Council will publish a regular public report assessing progress on implementation of the Industrial Strategy against success measures and on ways to improve measurement and evaluation.

It will meet 3 to 4 times a year and it will agree its annual work programme and priorities with BEIS and HMT. The Chair will meet annually with the Business Secretary and the Chancellor to discuss its work programme and progress.

Plans to convene an Industrial Strategy Council were announced in the Industrial Strategy White Paper and is a result of the Green Paper consultation, in which many businesses, universities and other stakeholders proposed that the Industrial Strategy needs to have clear measures of success, and an ongoing mechanism to evaluate progress.

• Andy Haldane is chairing the Industrial Strategy Council in a personal capacity during his term of office. It is not an institutional responsibility of the Bank of England.
• Andy Haldane will not be receiving a salary for this role.