Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average time taken by the Office of the Public Guardian to register Legal Powers of Attorney (LPAs) is from the date of receipt of orders during the period between 1 June 2021 and 31 May 2022; and what the average time taken by the Office of the Public Guardian to register LPAs was from the date of receipt of orders during the period between 1 June 2018 and 31 May 2019.

The average time taken by the OPG to register Lasting Powers of Attorneys (LPAs) between 1^st June 2021 and 31^st May 2022 was 73 days. The average processing time during 1^st June 2018 to 31^st May 2019 was 39 days. OPG’s target to register LPAs is 40 days. It should be noted that OPG must carry out checks on receipt of the LPA before notices are issued, and then must observe a statutory waiting period of 4 weeks to allow for objections before the registration process can be completed. This statutory waiting period cannot be waived and is included in the calculation for the number of days to register an LPA. OPG know that delays are frustrating for customers, and they are committed to reducing the time it is currently taking to register LPAs.