An earlier post Electronic registration of births and deaths, England & Wales (I) outlined The Births and Deaths Registration (Electronic Communications and Electronic Storage) Order 2021, SI 2021/1231 (“the 2021 Order”) which was laid before Parliament on 4 November, and came into force on 1 December 2021.

The Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) (England and Wales) Regulations 2021, SI 2021/1436

The 2021 Order introduced electronic methods of communication and storage in connection with the process of registration of births and deaths. This has been augmented with further regulation. The Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) (England and Wales) Regulations 2021, SI 2021/1436 (“the Amendment Regulations”) amend the Registration of Births and Deaths Regulations 1987, SI 1987/2088 to enable the use of electronic communications and storage for certain documents used in connection with the registration of births and deaths. The 2021 Order introduced electronic methods of communication and storage in connection with the process of registration of births and deaths.

The Amendment Regulations enable certain declarations, certificates and other documents prescribed by the 1987 Regulations to be in an electronic form approved by the Registrar General. These Regulations also enable any notice, information, declaration, certificate, return or other document required to be given, sent, delivered, produced, supplied, transmitted or otherwise provided for any purpose under the 1987 Regulations to be provided by sending that document, or a copy of it, in an electronic form approved by the Registrar General.

The Explanatory Note explains “the effect that this instrument will have on the costs of business, the voluntary sector and the public sector is outlined in the impact assessment prepared for the 2021 Order, available from www.legislation.gov.uk.