101. Sir CHARLES SYKESasked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been called to the delays which occur in the Registrar-General's Department in supplying certificates of birth, death and marriage; whether he is aware that a period of three weeks often elapses before the certificate can be obtained; and why the fee for search and certificate has been increased from 3s. 7d. to 5s. 7d.?
§ Sir A. MONDNo, Sir; nor am I aware of any facts which support the suggestions contained in the question. Certificates are supplied in under an hour to applicants in person who furnish correct particulars, and applications by post are dealt with in a few days only—seldom as long as a week—from the receipt of the necessary fees, though naturally it may take longer where incomplete or incorrect particulars are given. With regard to the last part of the question, the charge for the services of the Department in searching for an entry, when undertaken for the convenience of an applicant who prefers that course to exercising his own rights of searching, has been increased from 1s. to 2s. 6d. in accordance with the recommendation in the Third Report of the Geddes Committee, making, with the statutory fee of 2s. 7d. for the certificate, a total of 5s. 1d., and not, as stated in the question, of 5s. 7d.
Sir C. SYKESOn a point of Order. I do not think it fair for hon. Members to ask questions, and not to hear a word. I am not blaming the right hon. Baronet, but I should like to point out that a good many people lose a lot of money 1699 by not getting their certificates and, at any rate, may I suggest the Department might send a reply sooner than 10 days?