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Archiver > ESSEX-UK > 2006-06 > 1149718351


From: "Colleen" <>
Subject: Re Access to registers
Date: Wed, 7 Jun 2006 23:12:31 +0100
References: <000d01c68a60$892562a0$36560252@COOPER> <61a2c0b20606071434o1c09d012gd904e199d9c78c99@mail.gmail.com>


----- Original Message -----
From: "Diane wynne" <>


> On 07/06/06, jackycooper.clav78 <> wrote:
>> I got quite hopeful a while back, having heard that reform was being
>> proposed about >access to registers - but I guess getting an extortionate
>> £8 (with regular increases) from family historians for every certificate
>> is too tempting for the
> General Register >Office to give up.
>
> So you want the tax payers to foot the bill for your hobby?! Someone
> has to process the request, find the certificate, copy it and then
> post it - time and postage cost money.
>
> I'm getting really fed up with people carping on about the costs
> incurred in order to follow a hobby. I'd rather the GRO charged a lot
> more and used the money to increase the government pension retired
> people are expected to live on.

I agree with Jacky that the charge for certificates is quite extortionate,
how many requests can be processed in an hour, 60 or more, given the bulk
nature of the GRO's production of these and that its all computerised now?
That's about £400 per hour per staff member working on certificate
production. I agree with Diane that the taxpayer should not foot the bill,
but it seems to me that the GRO makes a mint on this. I do sympathise with
your view re the pension, Diane, however to increase the certificate charge
might be counter productive and bring less revenue into the GRO/State so
there could be even less for pensions - or maybe not since the new rules
will mean many of us will not live to draw a pension...

Colleen

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