This consultation galvanized the community and the arguments put forward by the SoG and others were based on our in-depth expertise, knowledge, and use of these documents and the digitization of others. However, it is disturbing that the consultations response paper hints that the costs of obtaining probate records will rise and looks to the charges levied by the General Register Office for paper certificates of birth, marriage, and deaths as an option. This ignores the fact that the efficient digitization of such vital events has reduced the cost

Having conceded that the probate documents will not be destroyed, the MoJ response document does not clarify whether the digitisation of the documents will proceed. If so, what will be digitised, how, and by whom? The genealogical and historical community will keep an eye on this.