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Plans to sell off the Land Registry have been quietly shelved by ministers.

The Government slipped out plans in March to privatise the agency which records all property transactions made in England and Wales.

But ministers have postponed the move in the face of a backlash from campaigners who warned it would make it harder to track tax avoidance and hold people to account.

The Government has now dropped the measure from the Neighbourhood Planning and Infrastructure Bill.

A previous attempt by former Chancellor George Osborne to privatise the agency and raise £1.2billion for the Treasury was blocked by the Lib Dems.

Unions and opposition MPs welcomed the decision to shelve the sale but said the plans should be ditched completely.

Public and Commercial Services union 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.”

Labour MP David Lammy added: “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.

“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 Prime Minister has made clear her determination to crack down on corruption, and it would clearly not be in the public interest for the Government to sell of the Land Registry to a private company, therefore making it easier for secretive trusts and shell companies to purchase properties in the UK whilst hiding behind shady and opaque offshore arrangements.”

(Image: Anthony Devlin/PA)

Former Lib Dem Business Secretary Sir Vince Cable said: “I blocked privatisation of this in government. This is a sensible decision as it wouldn’t have made much money.

“The only rationale behind the proposed sell-off was dogma. I am glad the minister has seen sense.”

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.”