61 Form in which registers of births and deaths are to be kept E+W
(1) The Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953 is amended as follows.
(2) For section 25 (provision of registers, etc, by Registrar General) substitute—
“ 25 Form in which registers are to be kept, etc
(1) Registers of live-births, still-births and deaths must be kept in such form as the Registrar General may reasonably require.
(2) The Registrar General may, in particular, require any such register to be kept in a form that secures that any information entered in the register by a registrar—
(a) in the case of a register of live-births or of deaths, is available to the superintendent registrar and to the Registrar General immediately after the entry has been made, and
(b) in the case of a register of still-births, is available to the Registrar General immediately after the entry has been made.
(3) In a case where a register is kept in such form as is mentioned in subsection (2), any information in the register which is available to the superintendent registrar or Registrar General is to be regarded as held by that person (as well as by the registrar) in connection with that person’s functions.
(4) The Registrar General—
(a) may provide anything which the Registrar General considers appropriate for the registers mentioned in subsection (1) to be kept in the form required under that subsection, and
(b) must maintain anything provided under paragraph (a).
(5) The Registrar General must also provide the forms required for the purposes of this Act for making certified copies of entries in registers. ”
(3) Omit the following provisions—
(a) section 26 (quarterly returns to be made by registrar to superintendent registrar);
(b) section 27 (quarterly returns by superintendent registrar to Registrar General);
(c) section 28 (custody of registers, etc).
I112 S. 61 not in force at Royal Assent, see s. 142(1)
62 Provision of equipment and facilities by local authorities E+W
In the Registration Service Act 1953, after section 11 insert—
“ 11A Provision of equipment and facilities by local authorities
(1) At each register office provided for the superintendent registrar of a district, the council which employs the superintendent registrar shall, subject to the provisions of the local scheme, provide and maintain such equipment or facilities as the Registrar General reasonably considers to be necessary for the performance of the superintendent registrar’s functions.
(2) At each office and each station for a sub-district of a registrar, the council which employs the registrar shall, subject to the provisions of the local scheme, provide and maintain such equipment or facilities as the Registrar General reasonably considers to be necessary for the performance of the registrar’s functions. ”
I113 S. 62 not in force at Royal Assent, see s. 142(1)
63 Requirements to sign register E+W
(2) After section 38A insert—