Protests Over Threat To Registry Office

2.14.26pm UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 30th Dec 2004

Both MP for Twickenham, Vincent Cable and the Richmond council leader, Councillor Tony Arbour, have written to Home Office ministers protesting over the decision of the government to remove Richmond from the list of official Registry Offices (one of three in London to close under government's plans).

Richmond Council regards the Richmond registry office as a very efficient local service that has won national plaudits because of its pioneering work in identifying and stopping 'bogus' marriages.

Vincent Cable agrees and quotes his own personal experience of being married there this summer, before he and his wife, Rachel, had a blessing in the House of Commons chapel: "The local office was easily accessible, efficient and friendly. I think residents will get a shock when they discover that they have to travel to Kingston or Hounslow for birth, marriage and death registrations, where the service is much slower and the reception less welcoming. The council leader and I have written, separately, to ministers seeking a meeting to discuss this short-sighted and petty decision".