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Non-Parochial Registers Act

Answer

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Registrar General, who has been asked to reply.Letter from Dennis Roberts, dated 25 April 2006:"The Registrar General has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions concerning the Registration Service. I am replying in her absence. (65041, 64885, 65042, 64882, 64883 & 65043)""The Registration Service Act 1953 (65041) sets out the responsibility for the provision and administration of the registration service in England and Wales. This includes the provision by local authorities of a local registration service for births, stillbirths, deaths and marriages which is overseen by the General Register Office on behalf of the Registrar General.""The Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953 (64885) sets out requirements for the registration of births, still-births and deaths in England and Wales. The registration service is successfully delivered, resulting in creation of the appropriate registration records and issue of certificates within the timescales that are required.""Section 5 of the Public Expenditure and Receipts Act 1968 (65042) allows the Chancellor of the Exchequer to make an Order varying fees for marriage services and certificates of births, deaths and marriages. The power to charge fees for these services is prescribed in the Marriage Act 1949 and the Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953. The fees collected contribute to meeting the costs to local authorities of the provision of the local registration service and those of the Registrar General in providing the central certificate application service.""Registers deposited under the Non-Parochial Registers Act 1840 (64882) are held at the National Archive who provide access to those records and list them in their catalogue. If a certificate under the seal of the General Register is required for evidential purposes arrangements are in place for this service to be provided by the Registrar General.""The Places of Worship Registration Act 1855 (64883) provides for places of religious worship, except those of the Established Church, to be certified to the Registrar General on payment of a fee, currently £28, to the superintendent registrar of the district.""A building has to be certified as a place of religious worship before it can be registered for marriages by the Registrar General under the Marriage Act 1949. The Registrar General maintains the record of these places of religious worship by adding those newly certified and cancelling those that are disused.""Section 18 of the Marriage (Registrar General's Licence) Act 1970 (65043) empowers the Registrar General, with the approval of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, to make regulations prescribing the form of the notice of marriage and the form of the Registrar General's licence. These forms are prescribed by the Registration of Marriages Regulations 1986 (SI 19867 1442) as amended by the Registration of Births, Deaths and Marriages (Amendment) Regulations 2005 (SI 2005/3177)."

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

445 c1048-9W;445 c1048-9W; 65042

Session

2005-06

Subjects

Registration of births, deaths, marriages and civil partnerships

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk