25.—(1) The Registrar General shall furnish to every registrar forms of certificates of the cause of death for use by registered medical practitioners, and every registrar shall furnish the forms free to any registered medical practitioner residing or practising in his district.
(2) Where any person dies as a result of any natural illness for which he has been treated by a registered medical practitioner within twenty-eight days prior to the date of his death, that practitioner shall sign and give forthwith to a qualified informant a certificate in the prescribed form stating to the best of his knowledge and belief the cause of death, together with such other particulars as may be prescribed.
(3) A registered medical practitioner shall not give an informant a certificate under paragraph (2) [F1 or give the registrar a copy of such a certificate ] if—
(a)he or any other person has referred the death of the deceased person to the coroner under section 7 or 8 of the Coroners Act (Northern Ireland) 1959 [1959 c.15] or he intends so to refer the death; or
(b)he has reason to believe that the deceased person has died as the result of an industrial disease of the lungs.
(4) [F2An informant shall, within five days from the date on which he receives it, deliver to the registrar a certificate given to him under paragraph (2), and] [F2Where a registered medical practitioner gives to the registrar a copy of the certificate which the practitioner has signed under Article 25(2) together with such other particulars as are required under Article 25(2) to be given by the practitioner,] the registrar shall enter in the register the cause of death as stated in the certificate.
F1Words in art. 25(3) inserted (temp.) (26.3.2020) by virtue of Coronavirus Act 2020 (c. 7), s. 87(2), Sch. 13 para. 28(b) (with ss. 88-90, Sch. 13 para. 30); S.I. 2020/361, reg. 2(a)
F2Words in art. 25(4) substituted (temp.) (26.3.2020) by virtue of Coronavirus Act 2020 (c. 7), s. 87(2), Sch. 13 para. 28(c) (with ss. 88-90, Sch. 13 para. 30); S.I. 2020/361, reg. 2(a)
Modifications etc. (not altering text)
C1Art. 25(2) restricted (temp.) (26.3.2020) by Coronavirus Act 2020 (c. 7), s. 87(2), Sch. 13 para. 27 (with ss. 88-90, Sch. 13 para. 30); S.I. 2020/361, reg. 2(a)