Coroners and Justice Act 2009

Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953 (c. 20)

21 (1) In section 41 (interpretation) insert the following definitions at the appropriate places—

• ““the 2009 Act” means the Coroners and Justice Act 2009;”;

• ““attending practitioner’s certificate” has the meaning given by section 20(1)(a) of the 2009 Act;”;

• ““confirmed attending practitioner’s certificate” means an attending practitioner’s certificate in respect of which the cause of death has been confirmed by a medical examiner in accordance with regulations under section 20(1)(f)(i) of the 2009 Act;”;

• ““medical examiner” means a person appointed under section 19 of the 2009 Act;”;

• ““medical examiner’s certificate” has the meaning given by section 20(1)(h) of the 2009 Act;”;

• ““partner” (except in the expression “civil partner”) is to be read in accordance with subsection (2) of this section.”

(2) At the end of that section (which becomes subsection (1)) insert—

“(2) A person is the partner of a deceased person if the two of them (whether of different sexes or the same sex) were living as partners in an enduring relationship at the time of the deceased person’s death.

(3) A reference in this Act to an investigation under Part 1 of the 2009 Act being conducted includes a reference to the case where such an investigation has begun and—

(a) has not yet finished,

(b) is suspended under Schedule 1 to that Act (whether temporarily or otherwise), or

(c) is discontinued under section 4 of that Act.”