(1)No alteration shall be made in any register of live–births, still–births or deaths except as authorised by this or any other Act.
(2)Any clerical error which may from time to time be discovered in any such register may, in the prescribed manner and subject to the prescribed conditions, be corrected by any person authorised in that behalf by the Registrar General.
(3)An error of fact or substance in any such register may be corrected by entry in the margin (without any alteration of the original entry) by the officer having the custody of the register, . . . F1 and upon production to him by that person of a statutory declaration setting forth the nature of the error and the true facts of the case made by two qualified informants of the birth or death with reference to which the error has been made, or in default of two qualified informants then [F2either] by two credible persons having knowledge of the truth of the case [F3or, where it applies, in accordance with section 29A of this Act].
[F4(4)Where—
(a)an error of fact or substance (other than an error relating to the cause of death) occurs in the information given by a coroner’s certificate concerning . . . F5 a death touching which he has held an inquest; or
(b)such an error relating to the cause of death occurs in the information given by a coroner’s certificate issued under [F6section 16(4) of the Coroners Act 1988] in the case of an inquest which was adjourned in compliance with [F6section 16(1)] of that Act (adjournment in cases of murder etc. or at request of D.P.P.) but was subsequently resumed],
the coroner, if satisfied by evidence on oath or statutory declaration that such an error exists, may certify under his hand to the officer having the custody of the register in which the information is entered the nature of the error and the true facts of the case as ascertained by him on that evidence, and the error may thereupon be corrected by that officer in the register by entering in the margin (without any alteration of the original entry) the facts as so certified by the coroner.
Textual Amendments
F1Words repealed by S.I. 1968/1242, Sch. 2
F2Word in s. 29(3) inserted (24.7.2002) by The Deregulation (Correction of Birth and Death Entries in Registers or Other Records) Order 2002 (S.I. 2002/1419), art. 2(1)(a)
F3Words in s. 29(3) inserted (24.7.2002) by The Deregulation (Correction of Birth and Death Entries in Registers or Other Records) Order 2002 (S.I. 2002/1419), art. 2(1)(b)
F4Words substituted by Criminal Law Act 1977 (c. 45), Sch. 12
F5Words repealed by Coroners Act 1980 (c. 38, SIF 33), Sch. 2
F6Words substituted by Coroners Act 1988 (c. 13, SIF 33), s. 36(1), Sch. 3 para. 5