Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Probate Registry

Tuesday 9 January 2024 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The staffing levels in the probate registry have been increased by over 100 people.
  • The average time for a grant of probate after receiving all documents is now 12 weeks.
  • A new management team has been introduced to address underperformance and improve service.

Questions & Answers

Q1 John Stevenson Con
Context

The MP has previously highlighted issues with probate services, noting that the service was once excellent but now faces significant failings.

Question

What steps is he taking to improve the effectiveness of the probate registry? The service once excelled but now faces numerous failures. What specific actions are being taken?

Answer from Mike Freer

In response to increased volume of probate applications, staffing levels have been increased by over 100 people and processes streamlined. The average mean length of time for a grant of probate following receipt of all documents is now 12 weeks.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The MP requested specific actions to address failures, but the response focused on general improvements without detailed steps or timelines.

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Q2 John Stevenson Con
Context

The MP previously led a debate highlighting probate service failings and requested the Minister's action if no improvement in three months.

Question

Acknowledging previous efforts to improve the probate service, he asks what action will be taken if no material improvement is seen within three months. He seeks removal of underperforming staff for service recovery.

Answer from Mike Freer

A new management team is in place, and we are seeing improvements in recruitment, competency, productivity, and call handling. While the service is not yet where it should be, measures introduced have started to show impact. The Minister welcomes conversations for further improvement.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The MP asked about specific removal actions if no improvement, but the response provided general improvements without concrete timelines or actions regarding staff removal.

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