The Registration of Births and Deaths (Welsh Language) Regulations 1987

• Citation: S.I. 1987/2089
• Sections: 11

Section 1 Citation, commencement and interpretation

(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Registration of Births and Deaths (Welsh Language) Regulations 1987 and shall come into force on 1st January 1988.

(2) In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires–

(a) “ the Act ” means the Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953 ;

(b) “the principal Regulations ” means the Registration of Births and Deaths Regulations 1987 and any expression used in these Regulations which is also used in the principal Regulations has the same meaning as in those Regulations;

(c) any reference in a regulation to a numbered paragraph is to the paragraph of that regulation bearing that number;

(d) any reference to a numbered form is to the form bearing that number in Schedule 2 to these Regulations.

(3) Where a still-born child is found exposed or a dead body is found, any reference in these Regulations to the place where the still-birth or death occurred is, if the place is unknown, to be construed as a reference to the place where the still-born child or the deceased was found.

Section 2 Prescribed forms for registration of births and deaths

Subject to the provisions of regulation 6(2) of these Regulations, in relation to births and deaths occurring in Wales–

(a) forms 1 to 16 in Schedule 2 to these Regulations shall be the prescribed forms in place of the corresponding forms (“the English forms”), that is to say forms 1 to 6, 9 to 11, 13 to 18 and 20, in Schedule 2 to the principal Regulations;

(b) references to any of the English forms in the principal Regulations shall have effect as referring instead to the corresponding form in Schedule 2 to these Regulations.

Section 3 Prescribed words

Where a regulation in the principal Regulations specified in column (1) of Schedule 3 to these Regulations requires the use of a form of words set out in column (2), the form of words set out opposite thereto in column (3) shall be used in any Welsh version.

Section 4 Registration and re-registration of live-births occurring in Wales

(1) Subject to paragraph (2), where a qualified informant, giving information relating to the registration or re-registration of a birth which occurred in Wales, elects for the particulars required by Part III, IV or V of the principal Regulations to be entered in Welsh as well as in English, the registrar shall enter those particulars accordingly.

(2) Paragraph (1) of this regulation shall apply only where–

(a) the informant gives the requisite information either–

(i) personally, before the expiration of 3 months from the date of the birth of the child, to the relevant registrar; or

(ii) by declaration under section 6 or 9 of the Act, before a superintendent registrar or registrar in Wales; and

(b) the informant gives such information in Welsh and the officer to or before whom he gives it can understand and write Welsh.

(3) Where under paragraph (2) of regulation 14 of the principal Regulations (giving or alteration of name after registration) a superintendent registrar or registrar makes an entry in space 17 of an entry of birth which has been completed in Welsh as well as in English, he shall add the Welsh version of the words prescribed by sub-paragraph (a) or (b) (as the case may be) of that paragraph.

Section 5 Registration of still-births occurring in Wales

(1) Forms 8 and 9 may be completed in English only or in both English and Welsh.

(2) Where a still-birth is registered upon the attendance of a qualified informant and–

(a) the informant elects for the particulars relating to the still-birth to be entered in Welsh as well as in English; and

(b) the informant gives the requisite information in Welsh and the officer to whom he gives it can understand and write Welsh,

the registrar shall, subject to paragraph (3), enter the particulars in both English and Welsh.

(3) When completing space 2 of the entry (other than in a case in which paragraph (4) applies)–

(a) if the still-birth is registered on production of a form 8 or of a notification from the coroner that he does not intend to hold an inquest, the registrar shall enter the cause of death, in accordance with regulation 34(2)(b) or 35 of the principal Regulations, precisely as stated on the form or the notification except that any particulars recorded in Welsh shall, if the informant so requests, be excluded from the entry if the still-birth is to be registered in English only;

(b) if the still-birth is registered on production of a form 9, the registrar shall enter the words prescribed by regulation 34(2)(b)(ii) in English only if the form was completed in English only and he shall enter also the Welsh version of those words if the form was completed in Welsh as well as in English,

and where the particulars in space 2 are entered in Welsh as well as in English the registrar shall also enter the Welsh version of any words prescribed by regulation 34(2)(b)(i) or 35(2).

(4) Where a still-birth is registered on production of a coroner’s certificate after inquest–

(a) the registrar shall enter the particulars precisely as stated in the certificate in accordance with regulation 36(1) of the principal Regulations; and

(b) if the certificate is completed by the coroner in Welsh as well as in English, the registrar shall also enter the Welsh version of the words prescribed by sub-paragraph (b), and of the particulars prescribed by sub-paragraphs (c), (e) and (f), of regulation 36(1).

Section 6 Registration of deaths occurring in Wales

(1) Forms 11 to 15 may be completed in English only or in both English and Welsh.

(2) Instead of forms 11 to 13, the corresponding forms (that is to say forms 14 to 16) in Schedule 2 to the principal Regulations may be used where the place of death is in Wales but the certificate of cause of death is issued in England.

(3) Where a death is registered upon the attendance of a qualified informant and–

(a) the informant elects for the particulars relating to the death to be entered in Welsh as well as in English; and

(b) the informant gives the requisite information in Welsh and the officer to whom he gives it can understand and write Welsh,

the registrar shall, subject to paragraph (4), enter the particulars in both English and Welsh.

(4) When completing space 8 of the entry (other than in a case in which paragraph (5) applies)–

(a) if the death is registered on production of a certificate of cause of death or of a notification from the coroner that he does not intend to hold an inquest the registrar shall enter the cause of death in accordance with regulation 42(4), 43(2) or (3) or 47(5) of the principal Regulations and precisely as stated on the certificate or notification or (as the case may be) as stated by the informant except that any particulars recorded in Welsh shall, if the informant so requests, be excluded from the entry if the death is to be registered in English only;

(b) where the particulars in space 8 are entered in Welsh as well as in English the registrar shall also enter the Welsh version of any words prescribed by regulation 42(4) or 43(2).

(5) Where a death is registered on production of a coroner’s certificate after inquest–

(a) the registrar shall enter the particulars precisely as stated in the certificate in accordance with regulation 45(a) of the principal Regulations; and

(b) if the certificate is completed by the coroner in Welsh as well as in English, the registrar shall also enter the Welsh version of the words prescribed by sub-paragraph (b), and of the particulars prescribed by sub-paragraphs (d) and (e), of regulation 45.

Section 7 Correction of errors in birth and death entries

Where an error requires to be corrected in an entry in a register of births or deaths kept in Wales, the marginal note specified by regulation 54(1)(e), 55(3), 56(2), 57(3) or (4), 58(2)(b) or 59(2) or (3)(b) (as the case may be) of the principal Regulations shall be entered in English if the error occurs in particulars entered in English and in Welsh if the error occurs in particulars entered in Welsh.

Section 8 Short certificate of birth

(1) In relation to a short certificate of birth issued by a superintendent registrar or registrar which is compiled from an entry in a birth register relating to a birth which occurred in Wales, form 17 shall be the prescribed form in place of form 21 in Schedule 2 to the principal Regulations and regulation 64(a) of those Regulations shall have effect as if it referred not to the latter form but to form 17.

(2) In relation to a short certificate of birth issued by the Registrar General which–

(a) is compiled–

(i) from a certified copy of an entry in a register of births kept in Wales,

(ii) from an entry in the register of births kept under section 3A of the Act , or

(iii) in respect of an adopted person;

(b) is to show that the place of birth was in Wales,

form 18 shall be the prescribed form in place of form 22 in Schedule 2 to the principal Regulations and regulation 64(b) of those Regulations shall have effect as if it referred not to the latter form but to form 18.

(3) Where a short certificate of birth is compiled from an entry, or a certified copy of an entry, which pursuant to these Regulations contains a Welsh version of the particulars entered, the certificate shall likewise include particulars in Welsh as well as in English.

Section 9 Discrepancies

In the case of any discrepancy between an English text and a Welsh text permitted by these Regulations, the English text shall prevail.

Section 10 Certified copies

Where a certified copy of an entry in a register of live-births, still-births or deaths containing English only, or in a certified copy of such a register, is made on a form containing both English and Welsh but the particulars in the original entry and those entered in the certified copy of that entry do not differ in any other respect the certified copy shall be treated as a true copy of the original entry.

Section 11 Revocations

The regulations specified in Schedule 4 to these Regulations are hereby revoked.