Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953

2 Information concerning birth to be given to registrar within forty–two days. E+W

In the case of every birth it shall be the duty—

(a) of the father and mother of the child; and

(b) in the case of the death or inability of the father and mother, of each other qualified informant,

to give to the registrar, before the expiration of a period of forty–two days from the date of the birth, information of the particulars required to be registered concerning the birth, and in the presence of the registrar to sign the register:

Provided that—

(i)

the giving of information and the signing of the register by any one qualified informant shall act as a discharge of any duty under this section of every other qualified informant;

(ii)

this section shall cease to apply if, before the expiration of the said period and before the birth has been registered, an inquest is held at which the child is found to have been still–born.