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Written question asked by Hilary Benn (Labour) on Thursday, 4 September 2014, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 8 September 2014. It was answered by Shailesh Vara (Conservative) on Thursday, 11 September 2014 on behalf of the Ministry of Justice.


Property Searches: Fees and Charges

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he plans to make further financial payments to local authorities in respect of claims made against them by property search companies for refunds of local land charges search fees as a result of the implementation of the 2003 EC directive on freedom of information and the 2004 environmental information regulations.

Answer

The Ministry of Justice, the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Department for Communities and Local Government are considering a submission prepared by the Local Government Association that the new burden assessment carried out in 2010 in respect of the revocation of the fee payable for a personal search of the local land charges register should be re-opened.

Any costs properly incurred by local authorities in England in dealing with claims for refunds of local land charge search fees will be taken into account by the departments should it be decided to re-open the assessment. No decision has yet been taken.


Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
208157
Session
2014-15
Grouped for answer
Yes
Transferred
Yes
Subjects
Fees and charges EU law Repayments Property searches
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk