Public Records Act 1958

9 Legal validity of public records and authenticated copies. U.K.

(1) The legal validity of any record shall not be affected by its removal under the provisions of this Act, or of the Public Record Office Acts 1838 to 1898, or by any provisions in those Acts with respect to its legal custody.

(2) A copy of or extract from a public record in the Public Record Office purporting to be examined and certified as true and authentic by the proper officer and to be sealed or stamped with the seal of the Public Record Office shall be admissible as evidence in any proceedings without any further or other proof thereof if the original record would have been admissible as evidence in those proceedings.

[F1 (3) An electronic copy of or extract from a public record in the Public Record Office which—

(a) purports to have been examined and certified as true and authentic by the proper officer; and

(b) appears on a website purporting to be one maintained by or on behalf of the Public Record Office,;

shall, when viewed on that website, be admissible as evidence in any proceedings without further or other proof if the original record would have been admissible as evidence in those proceedings.]

[F2 (4)] [F3 In this section any reference] to the proper officer is a reference to the Keeper of Public Records or any other officer of the Public Record Office authorised in that behalf by the Keeper of Public Records, and, in the case of copies and extracts made before the commencement of this Act, the deputy keeper of the records or any assistant record keeper appointed under the M1 Public Record Office Act 1838.

Textual Amendments

F1 S. 9(3) inserted (4.2.2002) by S.I. 2001/4058, art. 2(3)

F2 Words in s. 9(2) re-numbered as subsection (4) (4.2.2002) by S.I. 2001/4058, art. 2(2)

F3 Words in s. 9(4) substituted (4.2.2002) by 2001/4058, art. 2(2)

Marginal Citations

M1 1838 c. 94.