Births and Deaths Registration Act 1874

20 Regulations as to certificates of cause of death

With respect to certificates of the cause of death, the following provisions shall have effect:

(1) The Registrar General shall from time to time furnish to every registrar printed forms of certificates of cause of death by registered medical practitioners, and every registrar shall furnish such forms gratis to any registered medical practitioner residing or practising in such registrar's sub-district:

(2) In case of the death of any -person who has been attended during his last illness by a registered medical practitioner, that practitioner shall sign and give to some person required by this Act to give information concerning the death a certificate stating to the best of his knowledge and belief the cause of death, and such person shall, upon giving information concerning the death, or giving notice of the death, deliver that certificate to the registrar, and the cause of death as stated in that certificate shall be entered in the register, together with the name of the certifying medical practitioner :

(3) Where an inquest is held on the body of any deceased person a medical certificate of the cause of death need not be given to the registrar, but the certificate of the finding of the jury furnished by the coroner shall be sufficient.

If any person to whom a medical certificate is given by a registered medical practitioner in pursuance of this section fails to deliver that certificate to the registrar, he shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding forty shillings.