Registration of Births, Deaths and Marriages (Scotland) Act 1965

24 Certificate of cause of death

(1) For the purpose of enabling information to be given, in pursuance of the last foregoing section, of the cause of death of any person, any registered medical practitioner who was in attendance on the deceased during his last illness shall, within seven days, or such other period, not being less than two days, as may be prescribed, after the death of the person, transmit to any person who is a qualified informant in relation to the death, or to the registrar, a certificate in the prescribed form signed by the medical practitioner stating to the best of his knowledge and belief the cause of death.

Different forms of certificate may be prescribed in respect of persons of different ages, and in the case of the death of a child under one year of age such forms may provide for the giving of particulars of the condition of the mother before the death of the child.

(2) If there was no registered medical practitioner in attendance on the deceased during his last illness, or if any registered medical practitioner, having been in attendance as aforesaid, is unable to provide a certificate such as is required by the last foregoing subsection, such a certificate may be signed by any medical practitioner who is able to do so, and may be transmitted by him to any person who is a qualified informant in relation to the death, or to the registrar.