Affidavits and declarations attracted fees of £3.50 plus £1 for each exhibit from 1 July 1988, but were increased to £5 plus £2 for each exhibit on 18 October 1993.

The Retail Price Index has gone up 70.74% since 1993. As it usually takes at least 15 minutes to see potential declarants to complete the oath or declaration (which they may have been encouraged to draft themselves, usually incompletely or erroneously); obtain change from the accounts department; and then recover my train of thought on the piece of work I left to attend the declarant and which, based on my rate of £240, would permit me to render a bill to a fee-paying client of £72, including VAT; is there any chance of an increase in the swear fees given, for example increases of court fees during that time?

Roger Salvetti, Biscoes, Fareham