The Registration of Births and Deaths Regulations 1987

Interpretation

2.—(1) In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires–

“the Act” means the Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953(1);

“approved form” means a form approved by the Registrar General for the purpose for which it is used;

“certificate of cause of death” means a certificate required to be signed by a medical practitioner pursuant to section 22(1) of the Act;

“coroner” includes a deputy coroner and an assistant deputy coroner;

“description”, in relation to a coroner, means his official designation and the area of his jurisdiction;

“entry” means a record of the particulars relating to a live-birth, still-birth or death completed by the registrar in the appropriate spaces in form 1, 9 or 13;

“inquest” includes an inquest which has been adjourned under section 20(1) of the Coroners (Amendment) Act 1926(2) (whether or not the inquest is subsequently resumed);

“maiden surname”, in relation to a woman who has married, means the surname under which she contracted her marriage or, if married more than once, her first marriage;

“name”, in relation to a person, excludes surname;

“name, surname and qualification”, in relation to a registered medical practitioner who has issued a certificate of cause of death, means his name and surname as stated on the certificate and his registered professional qualification;

“relevant registrar” and “relevant superintendent registrar”, in relation to the registration of a birth or death, mean (subject to paragraph (3)(b) below) the registrar of the sub-district, and the superintendent registrar of the district, in which the birth or death occurred.

(2) In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires–

(a) any reference to a numbered regulation is to the regulation in these Regulations bearing that number and any reference in a regulation to a numbered paragraph is to the paragraph of that Regulation bearing that number;

(b) any reference to a numbered form is to the form bearing that number in Schedule 2 to these Regulations and any reference to a numbered space in a form is to the space bearing that number in that form.

(3) Where a still-born child is found exposed or a dead body is found, any reference in these Regulations to–

(a) the date of the still-birth or of the death of the deceased person, is to be construed as a reference to the date on which the still-born child or the deceased was found;

(b) the place where the still-birth or death occurred is, if the place is unknown, to be construed as a reference to the place where the still-born child or the deceased was found.

(1)

1953 c. 20.

(2)

1926 c. 59.