BIRTHS, DEATHS AND MARRIAGES REGISTRATIONS

HL Deb 24 February 1977 vol 380 cc493-4WA

Viscount MONTGOMERY of ALAMEIN

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Why, at this time of economic stringency, the charges for registrations of births, deaths and marriages, which are set by the Secretary of State for Social Services, represent less than 40 per cent, of the cost of the services, which are administered and paid for by local government.

Lord WELLS-PESTELL

The registration of births, deaths and marriages is, by Statute, free of charge to the informants and accounts for 52 per cent. of the total cost of the registration services provided by local authorities. A further 8 per cent. is incurred on supplying central authority with copies of the entries, as required by Statute. The charges set by my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Social Services are aimed at recovering from the public the full cost of all the remaining services.