HC Deb 15 March 1976 vol 907 cc435-6W
Mr. Wakeham

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the present charges for obtaining a birth certificate for a child on the Adopted Children Register; and if she has any plans for making any changes.

Dr. Owen

When an adoption is registered in the adopted children register one free shortened form of certificate is issued to the adoptive parents who may obtain further certificates, if application is made within a short interval after registration, at 1.25 for either a full certified copy of the entry or a short certificate. Subsequently, certificates may be obtained by personal application at the General Register Office, Kingsway, London, at a fee of £1.25 for a short certificate and £2.50 for a full certificate. If application is made through the post, the fees are £400 and £4.50 respectively.

I have no immediate plans to change these charges, but they are subject to annual review to ensure that costs are fully recovered, and they were last revised on 1st October 1975.

Mr. Wakeham

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the present charges for obtaining a birth certificate from the General Register Office; and if she has any plans for making any changes.

Dr. Owen

A birth certificate may be obtained on personal application at the General Register Office, Kingsway, London, for £2.50 for a full certified copy of the entry or £1·25 for the shortened form of birth certificate. The charge for supplying a certificate in response to a postal application, which is a non-statutory service entailing further handling costs, are £4.50 and £4.00 respectively.

I have no immediate plans to change these charges, but they are subject to annual review to ensure that costs are fully recovered and were last revised on 1st October 1975.