3. The following rule shall be added after rule 15 of the principal Rules—
16.—(1) A requisition for an official search of the register may be made by electronic means, notwithstanding section 231(1) of the Local Government Act 1972(1) (service of documents on local authorities), where the local authority to whom it is made consents to the use of those means.
(2) An official search certificate may be issued by electronic means where the person requiring the search consents to the use of those means.
(3) Where a requisition is made under paragraph (1), or a certificate issued under paragraph (2), all the information that would otherwise be required by these Rules to be set out in Form C shall be transmitted electronically together with—
(a)in the case of a requisition, the name of the person making the requisition or his solicitor; or
(b)in the case of a certificate, the name and office of the person certifying the search and the name of the registering authority.
(4) The signatures otherwise required by these Rules shall not be transmitted.”.