(1)For the purposes of this Part, there shall continue to be maintained[F1 by or on behalf of the Registrar] a register (which shall be called “the Statutory Charges Register”), and the Registrar shall, upon application being made to him in such manner as may be prescribed, register thereon all matters which under this Part or any subsequent statutory provision are required to be so registered.
(2)The Statutory Charges Register shall be in such form as may be prescribed and shall, for the purpose of enabling a person to trace any entry in that Register, have an index which may be in the form of a map or maps, or in such other form as may be prescribed, and different forms of indices may be prescribed in respect of registered and unregistered land and in respect of land in different areas.
(3)The Statutory Charges Register shall be[F1 available] for public inspection during the hours for which the Land Registry remains open for the transaction of public business and, subject to Land Registry Rules, any person may search therein or in any index thereto kept in pursuance of this Part, and shall be entitled, on making application to the Registrar in such form as may be prescribed, to receive copies of, or extracts from, so much of the Statutory Charges Register as relates to the land specified in such application.
(4)Land Registry Rules may provide for applications to the Registrar for official searches in the Statutory Charges Register or in any index thereto kept pursuant to this Part, for the carrying out of such searches, for[F1 the provision of information by certificate or otherwise regarding] the result of such searches and for matters connected therewith.
[F1(5)Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (4), Land Registry Rules may provide for applications for searches in the register, and the provision of information, by telephone or other automated means.]