Registration Service Act 1953
1953 c.37
An Act to consolidate certain enactments relating to the registration service in England and Wales with corrections and improvements made under the Consolidation of Enactments (Procedure) Act 1949.
[31st July 1953]
Act extended (prosp.) by 2002 c. 38, ss. 78(4), 148 (with Sch. 4 paras. 1, 6-8)
Act amended by S.I. 1971/1732, art. 5(7)
Power to extend Act conferred by British Nationality Act 1981 (c. 61, SIF 87), s. 41(4)(5)
Act amended by Marriage Act 1983 (c. 32, SIF 49:1), s. 2(1)
Act wholly in force at 1.10.1953 see s. 24(3).
Act extended (30.12.2005) by Adoption and Children Act 2002 (c. 38), ss. 78(4), 148(1) (with Sch. 4 paras. 1, Sch. 4 paras. 6-8); S.I. 2005/2213, art. 2(e)

Registrar General, etc.

1 Registrar General.
(1) Her Majesty may from time to time under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom appoint a Registrar General for England and Wales, and any person so appointed shall exercise the powers and perform the duties conferred or imposed by or under any enactment on the Registrar General, whether described by that title alone or with any additional description, and shall hold office during Her Majesty’s pleasure.
S. 1 renumbered as s. 1(1) (1.4.2008) by Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007 c. 18, ss. 68(1)(a), 74(1), 2008 S.I. 839, art. 2
(2) The Registrar General is a corporation sole by the name of the Registrar General for England and Wales.
S. 1(2)-(5) inserted (1.4.2008) by Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007 (c. 18), ss. 68(1)(b), 74(1); S.I. 2008/839, art. 2
(3) The Registrar General may do anything (including acquire or dispose of any property or rights) which is calculated to facilitate, or is conducive or incidental to, the discharge of any of his functions.
(4) The Registrar General discharges his functions on behalf of the Crown.
(5) Service as Registrar General is not service in the civil service of the Crown; but the Registrar General is a Crown servant for the purposes of the Official Secrets Act 1989.

2 General Register Office.
The offices of the Registrar General shall be known as the General Register Office and any place in which any registers or records in the custody of the Registrar General by virtue of this or any other Act are deposited by direction of the Registrar General with the approval of the Treasury shall, so long as those registers or records are there deposited, be deemed to be part of the General Register Office.

3 Registrar General’s staff, etc.
(1) Subject to the consent of the Minister for the Civil Service as to number, the Registrar General may appoint such officers and servants for the purposes of his functions as he may determine.
Words substituted by virtue of S.I. 1968/1656, arts. 2(1)(a), 3(2)
(2) Any act or thing required by or under any enactment to be done by, to or before the Registrar General may be done by, to or before any officer or servant of the Registrar General authorised generally or specially in that behalf in writing by the Registrar General.

4 Salaries, receipts and expenses.
(1) There shall be paid to the Registrar General and to the officers and servants appointed by the Registrar General such salaries or remuneration as the Minister for the Civil Service may from time to time determine.
Words substituted by virtue of S.I. 1968/1656, arts. 2(1)(a), 3(2)
(2) Every sum received under the Registration Acts by or on behalf of the Registrar General otherwise than under the foregoing subsection shall be accounted for by the Registrar General and paid by him, at such times as the Treasury may from time to time direct, into the Exchequer.
S. 4(2) extended by S.I. 1982/1526, art. 3
(3) The salary of the Registrar General and his expenses under the Registration Acts and in respect of the General Register Office shall be paid out of moneys provided by Parliament.

General organisation of registration service

5 Districts and sub-districts.
(1) For the purposes of the Registration Acts, in every non-metropolitan county and metropolitan district there shall be one or more districts and in every district there shall be one or more sub-districts.
Words substituted by Local Government Act 1972 (c. 70), Sch. 29 para. 41(1)
(2) Without prejudice to any provision of the local scheme as to additional officers, for each district there shall be a superintendent registrar of births, deaths and marriages, and for each sub-district there shall be a registrar of births and deaths, and any registrar of births and deaths upon whom the functions of a registrar of marriages are conferred by the local scheme shall also be deemed to be a registrar of marriages within the district for the purposes of the Marriage Act 1949.
1949 c. 76.

6 Superintendent registrars and registrars of births and deaths.
(1) Every superintendent registrar and every registrar of births and deaths shall be appointed by the council of the non-metropolitan county or metropolitan district in which his district or sub-district is situated.
...
S. 6(1) proviso repealed (1.12.2007) by Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007 (c. 18), ss. 70(2)(a), 74(1), Sch. 4 Pt. 2; S.I. 2007/3388, art. 2(i)
(2) No person shall be appointed as superintendent registrar or as registrar of births and deaths unless he is qualified in accordance with the prescribed conditions.
(3) Every superintendent registrar and every registrar of births and deaths shall be an officer of the council of the non-metropolitan county or metropolitan district in which his district or sub-district is situated ... .
Words in s. 6(3) substituted (1.12.2007) by Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007 (c. 18), ss. 70(2)(b)(i), 74(1); S.I. 2007/3388, art. 2(i)
Words substituted by Local Government Act 1972 (c. 70), Sch. 29 para. 41(2)
Words in s. 6(3) repealed (1.12.2007) by Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007 (c. 18), ss. 70(2)(b)(ii), 74(1), Sch. 4 Pt. 2; S.I. 2007/3388, art. 2(i)
(4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
S. 6(4) repealed (1.12.2007) by Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007 (c. 18), ss. 70(2)(c), 74(1), Sch. 4 Pt. 2; S.I. 2007/3388, art. 2(i)

7 Additional registrars of marriages.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
S. 7 repealed (1.12.2007) by Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007 (c. 18), ss. 72, 74(1), Sch. 4 Pt. 2; S.I. 2007/3388, art. 2(i)

8 Deputy superintendent registrars and registrars.
(1) Subject to the provisions of the local scheme, a council which employs a superintendent registrar or a registrar of births and deaths may appoint one or more fit persons to act as his deputy.
(2) Any person appointed as a deputy under subsection (1) shall have all the powers and duties of a superintendent registrar or a registrar of births and deaths, as the case may be.
S. 8 substituted (1.12.2007) by Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007 (c. 18), ss. 71, 74(1); S.I. 2007/3388, art. 2(i)

9 Interim superintendent registrars and registrars.
(1) If any superintendent registrar or any registrar of births and deaths ceases to hold his office, his deputy or, if he has more than one deputy, such one of his deputies as shall from time to time be determined by the proper officer of the non-metropolitan county or metropolitan district in which his district or sub-district is situated shall become interim superintendent registrar or, as the case may be, interim registrar of births and deaths.
Words substituted by Local Government Act 1972 (c. 70), Sch. 29 para. 41(3)
(2) If a superintendent registrar or registrar of births and deaths ceases to hold his office and he has no deputy, the proper officer of the non-metropolitan county or metropolitan district aforesaid shall appoint an interim superintendent registrar or, as the case may be, an interim registrar of births and deaths.
Words substituted by Local Government Act 1972 (c. 70), Sch. 29 para. 41(4)
(3) An interim superintendent registrar and an interim registrar of births and deaths shall, until a new superintendent registrar or, as the case may be, registrar of births and deaths enters into office, have all the powers and duties of that office.

10 District register offices.
(1) The countil of every non-metropolitan county and metropolitan district shall provide and maintain for the superintendent registrar of each district within the non-metropolitan county or metropolitan district a register office according to a plan approved by the Registrar General, and shall provide therein to the satisfaction of the Registrar General a suitable fireproof repository or strong fire-resisting boxes for the safe custody of the records in the charge of the superintendent registrar.
Words substituted by Local Government Act 1972 (c. 70), Sch. 29 para. 41(1)
Words substituted by Local Government Act 1972 (c. 70), Sch. 29 para. 41(2)
(2) For any period during which a register office is not so provided, the superintendent registrar shall appropriate some fit room to be approved by the Registrar General as a temporary register office and the council shall pay to the superintendent registrar a reasonable rent for that room.
(3) Without prejudice to the last foregoing subsection, if in the case of any district, by reason of the refusal or neglect of the council of the non-metropolitan county or metropolitan district, a register office for that district is not provided or is not maintained and kept in repair, the Registrar General may, if so authorised by the Treasury, expend a sum not exceeding three hundred pounds in providing an office, or any sum from time to time necessary for repairing or maintaining any office provided by him, and any sum so expended shall be repaid to the Registrar General by the council.
(4) The register office for any district shall be deemed for the purposes of the Registration Acts to be situated within that district even though it is not locally situated therein.

11 Sub-district offices, etc.
(1) Subject to the provisions of the local scheme, every registrar of births and deaths and every deputy registrar of births and deaths shall either dwell in or have a known office within the sub-district of which he is registrar or deputy registrar.
(2) Subject as aforesaid, every registrar of births and deaths shall appoint within or contiguous to his sub-district such stations, if any, as may be directed by the Registrar General, and for the purposes of the provisions of the Registration Acts with respect to the attendance of persons and the registration of births and deaths any station for a registrar’s sub-district, as well as the office therefor, shall be deemed to be his office.
(3) Subject as aforesaid, every registrar and every deputy registrar shall attend at his dwelling-house or office and at any such station as aforesaid on such days and at such hours as may be approved by the Registrar General for the purpose of registering births and deaths.

12 Provision of register boxes.
The Registrar General shall provide such number of strong fire-resisting boxes as may be required to hold the registers kept by each registrar of births and deaths and registrar of marriages.

Local organisation of registration service

13 Local schemes of organisation.
(1) There shall be in force for each non-metropolitan county and metropolitan district a scheme or schemes (in this Act referred to as “the local scheme”) prepared and made in accordance with the next following section.
Words substituted by Local Government Act 1972 (c. 70), Sch. 29 para. 41(1)
(2) Provision shall be made by the local scheme for—
(a) determining the number and boundaries of the registration districts and sub-districts in the non-metropolitan county or metropolitan district;
Words substituted by Local Government Act 1972 (c. 70), Sch. 29 para. 41(2)
(b) determining the location of offices and stations for those districts and sub-districts;
(c) determining the number of superintendent registrars, registrars of births and deaths and other officers required for the purposes of the Registration Acts within the non-metropolitan county or metropolitan district;
(d) subject to such exceptions, if any, as may be specified in the scheme, conferring and imposing on registrars of births and deaths the functions of registrars of marriages;
(e) fixing, subject to such power of revision as may be provided by the scheme, the salary and other remuneration, if any, to be attached to each office, and the allowances, if any, to be paid for travelling, for the provision of office accommodation and for other expenses;
(f) fixing, subject to such power of revision as may be provided by the scheme, the conditions on which an office is to be held, ...;
Words in s. 13(2)(f) repealed (1.12.2007) by Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007 (c. 18), ss. 70(3), 74(1), Sch. 4 Pt. 2; S.I. 2007/3388, art. 2(i)
(g) applying with any necessary modifications, adaptations and exceptions the provisions of the Local Government Act 1929 relating to the transfer, superannuation and compensation of officers;
1929 c. 17
(h) conferring on the proper officer of the non-metropolitan county or metropolitan district powers with respect to—
(i) the fixing of the hours of attendance of officers;
(ii) the distribution of business between officers;
(iii) the transfer of superintendent registrars and registrars of births and deaths within or between districts.
Words substituted by Local Government Act 1972 (c. 70), Sch. 29 para. 41(4)
S. 13(2)(3) applied (8.1.1997) by S.I. 1996/3118, art. 2(1)
(3) The local scheme may in addition—
(a) make provision, where two or more officers are appointed to act for a single district or sub-district, for the distribution between them of the registration functions to be discharged within that district or sub-district, so, however, that any such distribution shall not render any such officer disqualified from acting at any time or at any place in that district or, as the case may be, sub-district; and
(b) confer on the proper officer of the non-metropolitan county or metropolitan district such general powers of supervising the administration within the non-metropolitan county or metropolitan district of the provisions of the Registration Acts as may be specified in the scheme.

14 Preparation, submission and approval of local schemes.
(1) The council of a non-metropolitan county or metropolitan district may from time to time prepare and submit to the Minister schemes for all or any of the purposes mentioned in the last foregoing section.
Words substituted by Local Government Act 1972 (c. 70), Sch. 29 para. 41(2)
(2) In the case of any non-metropolitan county or metropolitan district created after the commencement of this Act, the council of that non-metropolitan county or metropolitan district shall prepare and submit to the Minister a local scheme within such period as the Minister may allow.
(3) Any scheme under this section shall fix the date or dates on which the scheme is to come into operation and may fix different dates for different provisions of the scheme or for different areas and the dates so fixed may be made dependent on the happening of specified events.
(4) No such scheme shall be of any effect unless and until it is approved by the Minister, and the Minister, after considering any representations with respect to the scheme which may be submitted to him by any officer affected, may approve the scheme with or without modifications.
S. 14(4) applied (8.1.1997) by S.I. 1996/3118, art. 2(1)
(5) If—
(a) it appears to the Registrar General at any time that by reason of special circumstances an immediate adjustment is necessary in the division of any non-metropolitan county or metropolitan district into districts and sub-districts; or
(b) a council required by subsection (2) of this section to submit a local scheme to the Minister fails to do so within the period allowed by the Minister,
the Registrar General may, after consultation with the council of the non-metropolitan county or metropolitan district concerned, prepare a scheme for the purpose, and any scheme so prepared by him, if approved by the Minister, shall have effect as it it were a scheme submitted by the council and approved by the Minister in accordance with this section.
(6) Any scheme under this section may contain such incidental, consequential or supplemental provisions as may appear necessary or proper for the purposes of the scheme and may be varied or revoked by a subsequent scheme made in like manner as the original scheme:
Provided that a scheme prepared by the Registrar General and approved by the Minister under the last foregoing subsection may be varied or revoked either by a subsequent scheme so prepared and approved or by a subsequent scheme submitted by the council concerned and approved by the Minister in accordance with this section.
S. 14: functions of the Secretary of State transferred (1.4.1996) by S.I. 1996/273, art. 3(1), Sch. 1 para. 9(a)
S. 14 transfer of functions (3.4.2008) by Transfer of Functions (Registration) Order 2008 (S.I. 2008/678), art. 1(2), Sch. 1 para. 7(a) (with art. 4)

General provisions as to officers

15 Delivery up of books, etc. on ceasing to hold office.
(1) When any person ceases to hold the office of superintendent registrar, registrar of births and deaths or registrar of marriages for any district or sub-district, all register boxes, keys, books and documents in his possession as holder of that office for that district or sub-district shall be delivered up to his successor in office ....
S. 15(1) modified (12.4.1994) by S.I. 1994/867, reg. 22(2)(b)
Words in s. 15(1) repealed (1.12.2007) by Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007 (c. 18), ss. 70(4), 74(1), Sch. 4 Pt. 2; S.I. 2007/3388, art. 2(i)
(2) If any person who has in his custody or power any such article as aforementioned wilfully fails to deliver it up to, or account for it to the satisfaction of, the person in whose custody it should be, he shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine of level 2 on the standard scale; and if the failure continues after he is convicted thereof he shall be guilty of a further offence and be liable on summary conviction to a fine of five pounds for every day on which the failure has so continued.
Words substituted by virtue of Criminal Justice Act 1982 (c. 48, SIF 39:1), s. 46
(3) If a justice of the peace is satisfied by information on oath that there is reasonable cause to believe that any article withheld in contravention of this section is in any specified house or place, he may grant a search warrant authorising any constable named therein to enter and search that house or place at any time and seize any such article so found, and any article so seized shall be delivered to the person in whose custody it should be.

16 General provision as to fees.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
S. 16 omitted (12.7.2016) by virtue of Immigration Act 2016 (c. 19), s. 94(1), Sch. 15 para. 32; S.I. 2016/603, reg. 3(w)

17 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
S. 17 repealed by Statute Law (Repeals) Act 1986 (c. 12), s. 1(1), Sch. 1 Pt. VII

18 Temporary provisions as to non-salaried officers.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
S. 18 repealed (22.7.2004) by Statute Law (Repeals) Act 2004 (c. 14), Sch. 1 Pt. 17 Group 10

Miscellaneous and general

19 Annual abstract.
The Statistics Board shall send to the Minister for the Cabinet Office annually, in such form as the Minister for the Cabinet Office may from time to time require, a general abstract of the number of live-births, still-births, deaths , marriages and civil partnerships registered in the year last preceding and the Minister for the Cabinet Office shall within one month after receipt thereof or of the meeting of Parliament lay that abstract before each House of Parliament.
S. 19: functions of the Secretary of State transferred (1.4.1996) by S.I. 1996/273, art. 3(1), Sch. 1 para. 9(b)
S. 19 transfer of functions (1.4.2008) by Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007 (c. 18), ss. 25(2)(b), 74(1); S.I. 2008/839, art. 2
S. 19 amended by Population (Statistics) Act 1960 (c. 32), s. 4
Words in s. 19 substituted (1.4.2008) by Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007 (c. 18), s. 74(1), Sch. 1 para. 9(a); S.I. 2008/839, art. 2
Words in s. 19 substituted (1.4.2008) by Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007 (c. 18), s. 74(1), Sch. 1 para. 9(b); S.I. 2008/839, art. 2
Words in s. 19 substituted (5.12.2005) by Civil Partnership Act 2004 (Overseas Relationships and Consequential, etc. Amendments) Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/3129), art. 1, Sch. 1 para. 2

19A Functions relating to transmission of information to Secretary of State
(1) The functions of a registrar of births and deaths, a superintendent registrar and the Registrar General include the power to—
(a) transmit information contained in a declaration made under section 9(1) of the Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953 or entered in a register of births to the Secretary of State, and
(b) verify such information for the Secretary of State,
for the purposes of the service in subsection (2).
(2) That service is a service operated by the Secretary of State by which—
(a) individuals may transmit information about births to the Secretary of State, and
(b) that information may be transmitted to other persons by the Secretary of State.
(3) References in subsections (1) and (2) to the Secretary of State include persons providing services to the Secretary of State for the purpose of the service referred in subsection (2).
(4) This section does not authorise any disclosure which is unlawful—
(a) by virtue of any enactment, or
(b) by reason of the law relating to confidentiality or privacy.
S. 19A inserted (8.5.2012) by Welfare Reform Act 2012 (c. 5), ss. 135, 150(2)(h)

19AA Disclosure of information
(1) A civil registration official may, subject to this section, disclose any information held in connection with any of the official's functions to—
(a) a specified public authority (see section 19AB), or
(b) any other civil registration official.
(2) A civil registration official may disclose information under this section only if the official is satisfied that the authority or civil registration official to whom it is disclosed (the “recipient”) requires the information to enable the recipient to exercise one or more of the recipient's functions.
(3) A disclosure under this section does not breach any obligation of confidence owed by the civil registration official making the disclosure.
(4) The power to disclose information under this section is subject to any express restriction on disclosure imposed by another enactment (ignoring any restriction which allows disclosure if authorised by an enactment).
(5) This section does not limit the circumstances in which information may be disclosed apart from this section.
(6) “Civil registration official” means—
(a) the Registrar General;
(b) a superintendent registrar of births, deaths and marriages;
(c) a registrar of births and deaths;
(d) a registrar of marriages;
(e) each of the following in its capacity as a registration authority within the meaning of Chapter 1 of Part 2 of the Civil Partnership Act 2004 (see section 28 of that Act)—
(i) a county council in England;
(ii) the council of any district in England comprised in an area for which there is no county council;
(iii) a London borough council;
(iv) the Common Council of the City of London;
(v) the Council of the Isles of Scilly;
(vi) a county council in Wales;
(vii) a county borough council in Wales.
Ss. 19AA-19AC inserted (31.7.2017 for specified purposes, 1.5.2018 in so far as not already in force except for the purposes of N.I.) by Digital Economy Act 2017 (c. 30), ss. 46(2), 119(4); S.I. 2017/765, reg, 2(o); S.I. 2018/382, reg. 3(k)

19AB Specified public authorities
(1) Each of the following public authorities is a “specified public authority” for the purposes of section 19AA—
(a) a Minister of the Crown;
(b) the Welsh Government;
(c) a department of the government of the United Kingdom;
(d) the Greater London Authority;
(e) a county council in England;
(f) a district council in England;
(g) a London borough council;
(h) the Common Council of the City of London in its capacity as a local authority;
(i) the Council of the Isles of Scilly;
(j) a county council in Wales;
(k) a county borough council in Wales;
(l) an NHS body within the meaning of the National Health Service Act 2006 (see section 275 of that Act).
(2) The Minister may by regulations amend subsection (1) so as to add, modify or remove a reference to a public authority or description of public authority.
(3) Regulations under this section must be made by statutory instrument.
(4) Regulations under this section may—
(a) make different provision for different purposes;
(b) contain consequential, incidental, supplemental, transitional or transitory provision or savings.
(5) The provision that may be made by virtue of subsection (4)(b) includes provision amending, repealing or revoking any provision of any enactment.
(6) A statutory instrument containing regulations under this section may not be made unless a draft of the instrument has been laid before and approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament.
(7) In this section—
“enactment” includes an enactment contained in subordinate legislation within the meaning of the Interpretation Act 1978;
“public authority” means a person who exercises functions of a public nature.

19AC Code of practice
(1) The Registrar General must issue a code of practice about the disclosure of information under section 19AA.
(2) The code of practice must be consistent with the code of practice prepared under section 121 of the Data Protection Act 2018 (data-sharing code) and issued under section 125(4) of that Act (as altered or replaced from time to time).
Words in s. 19AC(2) substituted (25.5.2018) by Data Protection Act 2018 (c. 12), s. 212(1), Sch. 19 para. 1(2) (with ss. 117, 209, 210, Sch. 20 para. 48); S.I. 2018/625, reg. 2(1)(g)
(3) A civil registration official must have regard to the code of practice in disclosing information under section 19AA.
(4) The Registrar General may from time to time revise and re-issue the code of practice.
(5) Before issuing or revising the code of practice the Registrar General must consult—
(a) the Minister,
(b) the Information Commissioner, and
(c) such other persons as the Registrar General thinks fit.
(6) The Registrar General may not issue the code of practice unless a draft of the code has been laid before, and approved by a resolution of, each House of Parliament.
(7) Before reissuing the code the Registrar General must lay a draft of the code as proposed to be reissued before Parliament.
(8) The Registrar General may not reissue the code if, within the 40-day period, either House of Parliament resolves not to approve it.
(9) In subsection (8) “the 40 day period” means—
(a) the period of 40 days beginning with the day on which the draft is laid before Parliament, or
(b) if the draft is not laid before each House on the same day, the period of 40 days beginning with the later of the days on which it is laid before Parliament.
(10) For the purposes of subsection (9) no account is to be taken of any period during which Parliament is dissolved or prorogued or during which both Houses are adjourned for more than four days.
(11) In disclosing information under section 19AA, a civil registration official must have regard to the following codes of practice issued by the Information Commissioner under section 128 of the Data Protection Act 2018 , so far as they apply to the information in question—
(a) any code which makes provision about the identification and reduction of the risks to privacy of a proposal to disclose information;
(b) any code which makes provision about the information to be provided to data subjects (within the meaning of that Act) about the use to be made of information collected from them.
Words in s. 19AC(11) substituted (25.5.2018) by Data Protection Act 2018 (c. 12), s. 212(1), Sch. 19 para. 1(3) (with ss. 117, 209, 210, Sch. 20 para. 48); S.I. 2018/625, reg. 2(1)(g)
(12) The duty in subsection (11) does not affect any other requirement for the civil registration official to have regard to a code of practice in disclosing the information.

19B Fees ...
(1) The Minister may by regulations provide for fees to be payable to the Registrar General in respect of the provision by the Registrar General to any persons of copies or other records of any information held by the Registrar General.
(1A) The Minister may by regulations provide for fees to be payable to a civil registration official in respect of the disclosure by the official of information under section 19AA.
S. 19B(1A) inserted (1.5.2018 except for the purposes of N.I.) by Digital Economy Act 2017 (c. 30), ss. 46(3)(a), 118(4)(6); S.I. 2018/382, reg. 3(k)
(2) Regulations under this section may—
(a) specify the amount of any fee payable under the regulations, or
(b) set out how such a fee is to be determined.
Words in s. 19B(2)(3) substituted (1.5.2018 except for the purposes of N.I.) by Digital Economy Act 2017 (c. 30), ss. 46(3)(b), 118(4)(6); S.I. 2018/382, reg. 3(k)
(3) Regulations under this section may provide for the reduction, waiver or refund of part or all of a fee whether by conferring a discretion or otherwise.
(4) Regulations under this section must be made by statutory instrument.
(5) Regulations under this section may—
(a) make different provision for different cases;
(b) provide for exemptions from any of the provisions of the regulations;
(c) contain such consequential, incidental, supplemental and transitional provision as the Minister considers appropriate.
(6) A statutory instrument containing regulations under this section is subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.
S. 19B inserted (12.7.2016) by Immigration Act 2016 (c. 19), s. 94(1), Sch. 15 para. 3; S.I. 2016/603, reg. 3(w)
Words in s. 19B heading omitted (1.5.2018 except for the purposes of N.I.) by virtue of Digital Economy Act 2017 (c. 30), ss. 46(3)(c), 118(4)(6); S.I. 2018/382, reg. 3(k)

20 Regulations.
The Registrar General with the approval of the Minister may by statutory instrument make regulations—
(a) prescribing the duties of superintendent registrars, registrars of births and deaths and registrars of marriages in the execution of any enactment relating to their functions;
(b) prescribing the duties under the Registration Acts of proper officers of non-metropolitan counties and metropolitan districts, and such other officers as may be appointed in pursuance of any local scheme;
Words substituted by Local Government Act 1972 (c. 70), Sch. 29 para. 41(5)
(c) making provision as to the place and manner in which, the days on which and the hours during which any documents kept in the General Register Office and required to be available for search by the public are to be so available;
(d) prescribing anything which by this Act is required to be prescribed.
S. 20 extended (1.7.1992) by Social Security Administration Act 1992 (c. 5), ss. 124(1), 192(4), Sch. 10 para. 3.
S. 20 extended by Social Security Act 1975 (c. 14), s. 160(1)
S. 20: functions of the Secretary of State transferred (1.4.1996) by S.I. 1996/273, art. 3(1), Sch. 1 para. 9(c)
S. 20 transfer of functions (3.4.2008) by Transfer of Functions (Registration) Order 2008 (S.I. 2008/678), art. 1(2), Sch. 1 para. 7(b) (with art. 4)

21 Interpretation.
(1) In this Act, the following expressions have the following meanings respectively—
“ civil registration official” has the meaning given by section 19AA;
“local scheme” means the scheme or schemes made under section fourteen of this Act for the time being in force for the non-metropolitan county or metropolitan district in question;
“the Minister” means the Secretary of State;
“prescribed” means prescribed by regulations made under the last foregoing section;
“the Registration Acts” means this Act, the Marriage Act 1949 and the Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953.
Words in s. 21(1) inserted (1.5.2018 except for the purposes of N.I.) by Digital Economy Act 2017 (c. 30), ss. 46(4), 118(4)(6); S.I. 2018/382, reg. 3(k)
Words substituted by Local Government Act 1972 (c. 70), Sch. 29 para. 41(2)
Words in s. 21 substituted (3.4.2008) by Transfer of Functions (Registration) Order 2008 (S.I. 2008/678), art. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 7 (with art. 4)
1949 c. 76.
1953 c. 20.
(2) In . . . this Act . . .
(a) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
S. 21(2)(a) repealed by London Government Act 1963 (c. 33), Sch. 18 Pt. II
(b) any reference to a metropolitan district or the council of a metropolitan district shall include a reference to the City of London or the Common Council thereof and to a London borough or the council thereof and any reference to a non-metropolitan county includes a reference to a county borough.
Words substituted by Local Government Act 1972 (c. 70), Sch. 29 para. 41(6)
Words substituted by virtue of London Government Act 1963 (c. 33), s. 4(2)(a)
Words in s. 21 (2)(b) added (1.10.1995) by 1994 c. 19, s. 66(6), Sch. 16 para. 12; S.I. 1995/2490, art. 5(1)(2)(3), Sch. 3
Words repealed by London Government Act 1963 (c. 33), Sch. 18 Pt. II
(3) Except in so far as the context otherwise requires, any reference in this Act to any other enactment shall be construed as a reference to that enactment as amended by or under any other enactment, including this Act.

22 Savings.
(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
S. 22(1) repealed (22.7.2004) by Statute Law (Repeals) Act 2004 (c. 14), Sch. 1 Pt. 17 Group 10
(2) Any instrument made under any enactment repealed by this Act prescribing anything which may be prescribed under this Act shall, if in force at the commencement of this Act, continue in force and have effect as if made under the corresponding provision of this Act.
(3) Any scheme made under section twenty-four of the Local Government Act 1929 or made in like manner by virtue of subsection (2) of section one hundred and thirty-one of that Act, being in either case a scheme in force immediately before the commencement of this Act, shall be deemed to have been prepared, submitted and approved in accordance with section fourteen of this Act.
(4) Any document referring to an enactment repealed by this Act shall, unless the contrary intention appears, be construed as referring to the corresponding provision of this Act.
(5) Nothing in the foregoing provisions of this section shall be taken as prejudicing the operation of sections 16(1) and 17(2)(a) of the Interpretation Act 1978 (which relate to the effect of repeals).

23 Repeals and consequential amendments.
(1) The enactments specified in the First Schedule to this Act shall have effect subject to the amendments respectively specified in that Schedule.
(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
S. 23(2), Sch. 2 repealed by Statute Law (Repeals) Act 1974 (c. 22), Sch. Pt. XI
The text of s. 23 is in the form in which it was originally enacted: it was not reproduced in Statutes in Force and does not reflect any amendments or repeals which may have been made prior to 1.2.1991.

24 Short title, extent and commencement.
(1) This Act may be cited as the Registration Service Act 1953.
(2) This Act shall not extend to Scotland or to Northern Ireland.
(3) This Act shall come into force on the first day of October, nineteen hundred and fifty-three.

FIRST SCHEDULE Consequential Amendments in other Enactments
Section 23.

A. The Births and Deaths Registration Act, 1836 (6 & 7 Will. 4. c. 86)
1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Sch. 1 para. 1 repealed (22.7.2004) by Statute Law (Repeals) Act 2004 (c. 14), Sch. 1 Pt. 17 Group 10

B. The Non-parochial Registers Act, 1840 (3 & 4 Vict. c. 92)
2 In section five, for the words “between the hours of ten in the morning and four in the afternoon of every day, except Sundays and Christmas Day and Good Friday” there shall be substituted the words “ at any time when the General Register Office is open for that purpose ”.

C. The Marriage and Registration Act, 1856 (19 & 20 Vict. c. 119)
3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Sch.1 paras. 3, 6, 9 repealed by Statute Law (Repeals) Act 1977 (c. 18), Sch. 1 Pt. XIX

D. The Marriage Act, 1949 (12, 13 & 14 Geo. 6. c. 76)
4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Sch. 1 para. 4 repealed (22.7.2004) by Statute Law (Repeals) Act 2004 (c. 14), Sch. 1 Pt. 17 Group 10
5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Sch. 1 para. 5 repealed (22.7.2004) by Statute Law (Repeals) Act 2004 (c. 14), Sch. 1 Pt. 17 Group 10
6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Sch.1 paras. 3, 6, 9 repealed by Statute Law (Repeals) Act 1977 (c. 18), Sch. 1 Pt. XIX
7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Sch. 1 para. 7 repealed (22.7.2004) by Statute Law (Repeals) Act 2004 (c. 14), Sch. 1 Pt. 17 Group 10
8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Sch. 1 para. 8 repealed (22.7.2004) by Statute Law (Repeals) Act 2004 (c. 14), Sch. 1 Pt. 17 Group 10
9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Sch.1 paras. 3, 6, 9 repealed by Statute Law (Repeals) Act 1977 (c. 18), Sch. 1 Pt. XIX
10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Sch. 1 paras. 10-13FIRST repealed (22.7.2004) by Statute Law (Repeals) Act 2004 (c. 14), Sch. 1 Pt. 17 Group 10
11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
14 In subsection (2) of section sixty-four—
(a) for the words “at all reasonable hours” there shall be substituted the words “ at any time when the register office is required to be open for the transaction of public business ”;
(b) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Sch. 1 para. 14(b)-(d) repealed (22.7.2004) by Statute Law (Repeals) Act 2004 (c. 14), Sch. 1 Pt. 17 Group 10
(c) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(d) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
15 In subsection (2) of section sixty-five—
(a) for the words “between the hours of ten in the morning and four in the afternoon of every day, except Sundays, Christmas Day and Good Friday” there shall be substituted the words “ at any time when the General Register Office is open for that purpose ”;
(b) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Sch. 1 para. 15(b)-(d) repealed (22.7.2004) by Statute Law (Repeals) Act 2004 (c. 14), Sch. 1 Pt. 17 Group 10
(c) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(d) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The text of Sch. 1 is in the form in which it was originally enacted: it was not reproduced in Statutes in Force and does not reflect any amendments or repeals which may have been made prior to 1.2.1991.
SECOND SCHEDULE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
S. 23(2), Sch. 2 repealed by Statute Law (Repeals) Act 1974 (c. 22), Sch. Pt. XI