The Deregulation (Correction of Birth and Death Entries in Registers or Other Records) Order 2002

Amendment of the Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953

2.—(1) In subsection (3) of section 29 of the Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953 (correction of errors in registers)(1)—

(a) after “then” insert “either”, and

(b) at the end insert “or, where it applies, in accordance with section 29A of this Act”.

(2) After that section insert—

“Alternative procedure for certain corrections.

29A.— (1) This section applies where, in an entry in a register of live-births, still-births or deaths, a person is wrongly shown as the father of the person to whose birth or death the entry relates.

(2) Where this section applies, the statutory declaration required by section 29(3) of this Act may be made—

(a) in default of two qualified informants, by one qualified informant of the birth or death to which the entry relates;

(b) in default of any qualified informant, by one credible person having knowledge of the truth of the case.

(3) Such a statutory declaration must be accompanied by documentary evidence of a finding that the person shown as the father was not the father.

(4) But subsection (5) applies if it appears to the officer having custody of the register that the only evidence on which the finding was made was that of the person making the statutory declaration.

(5) In that case, the officer may correct the error only if satisfied that another person, who is either a qualified informant or a credible person having knowledge of the truth of the case, has (whether before or since the making of the declaration) confirmed the material facts stated in the declaration.

(6) “Finding” means a finding made expressly in judicial proceedings in the United Kingdom or elsewhere.”.

(1)

Section 29(3) was amended by article 4(1) of, and Schedule 2 to, the Registration of Births, Deaths and Marriages (Fees) Order 1968 (S.I. 1986/1242).