§ 71. Mr. GILBERTasked the Home Secretary whether all the charges in the County Courts have recently been increased; can he state approximately how much; is he aware that these increased charges operate very harshly on small and poor clients who use these Courts; is it proposed to maintain the same at the present rates; and what is the expected increased annual revenue from the new charges?
Mr. YOUNGThe only change which has been made in the scale of fees charged in the County Court has been in respect of the fee in possession cases, where, by reason of the operation of the Increase of Rent Acts, the character of the proceedings has completely altered. A new 1076 method of reckoning the fee has, therefore, been substituted for the old. It is difficult to compare the old fee with the new. All the fees in the Court, including the fee already referred to, are now under the consideration of a Committee. The Committee is instructed to have regard to the interests of poor litigants. Until the Committee report, I cannot answer the remaining questions put by my hon. Friend, except by saying that the revenue of the Courts having very greatly declined, and the expenses having very greatly increased, some addition to the fees generally is necessary.