I propose to take Questions Nos. 403 to 405, inclusive, together.
At the time of the Electronic Commerce Act, as the Act states, it was decided to exclude deeds of transfer, family home declarations and other sworn declarations, (as technology and the availability of it) were yet not fit for that purpose, adequate procedures and practices had not yet been developed in public registration or other services, and it was not in the public interest to do so at the time.
Any plan to amend legislation to allow eSignatures for property related transactions would require careful consideration, including taking into account relevant legal, tax, business, property and title registration issues, including IT interoperability aspects.
The matter of eConveyancing is of course a matter for the Department of Justice. I understand that while a proposal in relation to eConveyancing received some consideration by a review group convened by the Department of Justice and Equality in early 2016, this proposal was subsequently withdrawn and there is no alternative proposal currently under consideration.