HC Deb 30 November 1977 vol 940 c248W
Mr. Teddy Taylor

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to increase fees for marriage and other licences; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Harry Ewing

To take account of rising costs, certain marriage and registration charges, which have been unchanged for two years, will be increased on 1st January 1978. The fee for a civil marriage will rise from £3 to £5, and that for the new system of legal preliminaries to marriage will be £1.50, payable by each person submitting a marriage notice.

The charge for an abbreviated birth certificate will increase from £1.25 to £1.50, and that for a certificate of birth, death or marriage required for certain statutory purposes will be raised from 75p to £1. Recording a change of name will cost £6 instead of £5, and most fees for genealogical searches in the General Register Office will also be increased.

There will be no increase in the cost of other birth, death or marriage certificates, and an abbreviated birth certificate will continue to be issued free of charge on registration. Nor will any charge be made for registration itself.