Local Electoral Administration and Registration Services (Scotland) Act 2006

Recording of events relating to persons outwith Scotland

54 Recording of certain events in Book of Scottish Connections

(1) The Registrar General is to keep a register to be known as the Book of Scottish Connections (“the BSC”) for the purpose of recording, in accordance with subsection (6), qualifying events.

(2) The following events are qualifying events—

(a) a person’s birth, where—

(i) the birth occurred outside Scotland; and

(ii) the person falls within subsection (4);

(b) a person’s death, where—

(i) the death occurred outside Scotland; and

(ii) the person falls within subsection (4) or (5);

(c) a marriage, where—

(i) the marriage occurred outside Scotland; and

(ii) at least one of the parties falls within subsection (4) or (5);

(d) the formation in a part of the United Kingdom other than Scotland, of a civil partnership, where at least one of the parties falls within subsection (4) or (5);

(e) the entering into of an overseas relationship, where at least one of the parties falls within subsection (4) or (5);

(f) a divorce or dissolution of a civil partnership (formed in any part of the United Kingdom) or overseas relationship, where—

(i) the divorce or dissolution occurred outside Scotland; and

(ii) at least one of the parties to the divorce or dissolution falls within subsection (4) or (5).

(3) In subsection (2)—

(a) a reference to an event occurring outside Scotland is a reference to its occurring in any other part of the United Kingdom or elsewhere; and

(b) “overseas relationship” has the meaning given by section 212 of the 2004 Act.

(4) A person falls within this subsection if—

(a) one of the person’s parents or grandparents was born in Scotland; or

(b) there is an entry in the BSC in respect of any event relating to one of the person’s parents or grandparents.

(5) A person falls within this subsection if—

(a) the person was born in Scotland; or

(b) the person was normally resident in Scotland at the time of the event.

(6) The Registrar General is to make an entry in the BSC in respect of a qualifying event where—

(a) an application has been made for the recording of the event;

(b) the application is in the prescribed form;

(c) such fees as may be prescribed are paid;

(d) such documents as may be prescribed are submitted; and

(e) the Registrar General considers it appropriate to do so.

55 Keeping of, and access to, the Book of Scottish Connections

(1) The BSC is to be kept in such form as the Registrar General determines.

(2) An entry in the BSC is to be in such form as may be prescribed.

(3) Each entry in the BSC is to be included in an index maintained by the Registrar General (“the BSC index”).

(4) The BSC index is to be kept in such form as the Registrar General determines.

(5) The Registrar General may delete or amend any entry in the BSC or substitute another for it.

(6) Where a person pays such fee as may be prescribed, the Registrar General is, if the General Register Office is open for the purpose, to—

(a) search (or permit the person to search) the BSC index; and

(b) issue to the person a copy of an entry in the BSC.

(7) The Registrar General is to make arrangements for the district registrar for each registration district to have access to—

(a) a copy of such of, or such parts of, the BSC as the Registrar General may determine; and

(b) an index of that material.

(8) For the purposes of subsection (7)—

(a) a copy is to be made by such means as the Registrar General may determine; and

(b) different arrangements and determinations may be made in respect of different registration districts.

(9) Where a person pays such fee as may be prescribed, the district registrar for a registration district is, if the part of the registration office concerned is open for the purpose, to—

(a) search (or permit the person to search) the index to which the registrar has access by virtue of subsection (7)(b); and

(b) issue to the person a copy or extract of any of the material so indexed.