Professionals who play a crucial role in conveyancing are furious after being denied access to a government report.

The report, produced by Mike Westcott Rudd of the Land Registry for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, is into local authority searches.

The report is specifically concerned with the future of CON29.

This is the part of the search that relates to proposals for public highways, rail schemes, planning decisions that could affect the property, breaches of planning or Building Regulations, and whether the house stands on contaminated land or in a radon gas area.

The Council of Property Search Organisations (CoPSO) issued a Freedom of Information request to see the report.

The request, back in March, was turned down by MHCLG.

CoPSO appealed the decision, which MHCLG also turned down.

CoPSO then complained to the Information Commission, which has now upheld the ministry’s decision not to release the report.

James Sherwood-Rogers, chairman of CoPSO, said: “The way the production of this report has been conducted, and the apparent secrecy attached to it, is disturbing.

“That the Government should be developing policy off the back of input from one of its own departments that may have a vested interest in the future of the CON29, and potentially at the expense of the private sector, begs serious questions.

“By denying access to the report MHCLG is serving to heighten concerns as to its contents.”

CoPSO said it will now consider what further action to take which may include referral to the First Tier Tribunal and the submission of further Freedom of Information requests to the Government.