Citation and Commencement

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Regulations 1992 and shall come into force on 1st January 1993.

Interpretation

2. In these Regulations:-

"the principal Regulations" means the Registration of Births and Deaths Regulations 1987(3), as amended;

"the 1968 Regulations" means the Registration of Births, Deaths and Marriages Regulations 1968(4).

Amendment of Regulation 3

3. For regulation 3 of the principal Regulations (preparation of draft particulars) there is substituted the following:-

"Preparation of draft particulars

(1) Before commencing registration of a birth or death whether or not in the presence of a qualified informant, the registrar shall, except where paragraph (2) applies, prepare a draft of the particulars to be entered in the register, either:-

(a)on an approved form; or

(b)if he has a computer, on that computer.

(2) Before a qualified informant makes a declaration under Regulation 11, 12, or 13 or a statement under Regulation 17(3)(a) the officer before whom the declaration or statement is to be made shall prepare a draft of the particulars to be entered in the register, either:-

(a)on an approved form; or

(b)if he has a computer, on that computer.

(3) Having prepared a draft of the particulars in accordance with paragraph (1) or (2), where the informant is present the officer shall show or read them to him and shall correct any error or omission.".

Amendment of Regulation 11

4. Regulation 11 of the principal Regulations (registration between three and twelve months from date of birth) is amended as follows:-

(a)for sub-paragraph (d) of paragraph (1) there shall be substituted the following:

"(d)deliver to the relevant registrar the declaration and a copy of the draft entry the latter prepared in accordance with regulation 3.".

(b)for paragraph (2) there shall be substituted the following new paragraph (2):-

"(2) Where it appears to the registrar that the particulars contained in the draft entry or declaration are in any material respect not proper to be registered-

(a)the superintendent registrar shall, in the presence of the informant, amend any error by striking out any incorrect particulars and inserting the correct particulars;

(b)the correction to the declaration shall be initialled by the informant.".

Amendment of Regulation 69

5. Regulation 69 of the principal Regulations (Information under the Population (Statistics) Act 1938)(5) is amended as follows:-

(a)in paragraph (1) for the words "on an approved form" there shall be substituted the words "on an approved form or, if he has one, on a computer";

(b)in paragraph (2), for the words "on the form" there shall be substituted the words "on the approved form or, if he has one, on a computer".

6. Regulation 70 of the principal Regulations (forms to be sent to the Registrar General) is amended as follows:-

(a)in the title to the regulation, for the words "Forms" there is substituted the words "Draft of particulars";

(b)in paragraph (1) for the words "any forms" there is substituted the words "the draft of particulars";

(c)in paragraph (2) for the word "forms", there is substituted the words "the draft of particulars"; and

(d)in paragraph 2(a) for the phrase "Parts IV and V" there is substituted the phrase "Part V" and in paragraph 2(b) for the phrase "Parts III and IV" there is substituted the phrase "Part V".

7. Immediately after regulation 70 there shall be inserted the following:-

"Transmission of draft particulars

70A. The draft particulars referred to in regulations 3, 11, 69 and 70 may, if prepared on approved forms be sent on such forms, or, if prepared on a computer, be transmitted on a computer disk or via a telephonic link.".

Amendment of Regulation 5(b) of the 1968 Regulations

8. Regulation 5(b) of the 1968 Regulations (disqualifications for appointment as regis-tration officers) is amended by deleting the semi-colon and by adding after the word "office" the words "except the office of deputy superintendent registrar;".

Explanatory Note

(This is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the Registration of Births and Deaths Regulations 1987 ("the Principal Regulations") and also the Registration of Births, Deaths and Marriages Regulations 1968 ("the 1968 Regulations").

Regulation 3 amends regulation 3 of the principal Regulations by providing that the registrar shall, before commencing registration, prepare the draft of particulars to be entered in the register, either on an approved form or on a computer if he has one. This provision applies whether or not registration is in the presence of a qualified informant.

Regulation 4 makes a consequential amendment to regulation 11 of the principal Regulations by providing that the draft of the particulars prepared in accordance with regulation 3 of the principal Regulations shall be in the form of an approved form or a computer print. It also removes the need for the informant to initial any correction made to the draft of the particulars supplied by him, by deleting sub-paragraph (b) of the paragraph (2).

Regulation 5 makes a consequential amendment to regulation 69 of the principal Regulations by providing in sub-paragraph (c) of paragraph (1) and in paragraph (2) that the information of particulars furnished shall be entered on a form or on a computer.

Regulation 6 makes consequential amendments to regulation 70 of the principal Regulations.

Regulation 7 inserts a new regulation 70A in the principal Regulations to enable the registrar to trans ffimit drafts of the particulars referred to in regulations 3, 11, 69 and 70, (which are to be sent to the Registrar General) either on approved forms or, if prepared on a computer, on a disk or via a telephonic link.

Regulation 8 amends regulation 5(b) of the 1968 Regulations to enable a superintendent registrar to hold office as a deputy superintendent registrar.