Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of processing times for paper probate application; and what steps he is taking to help improve the processing time for paper applications inline with wait times for digitally submitted applications.

Processing times for paper applications have improved significantly, but we recognise that they need to improve further. Paper applications are often more complex and may require additional enquiries where they cannot be issued on the first examination, which can affect overall timeliness. HM Courts & Tribunals Service has therefore invested in more staff in 2026, alongside system process improvements and a programme of upskilling to improve the processing time for paper applications.