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Archiver > CHESHIRE > 2005-01 > 1106915893


From: Guy Etchells <>
Subject: Re: [CHS] familyrelatives.org
Date: Fri, 28 Jan 2005 12:38:13 +0000
References: <000d01c504cb$7f1bfce0$5bd52d50@jane5ziu4219un> <032c01c504ce$62697660$d7919ed9@D2LKTF1J> <41FA09A7.7050604@virgin.net> <018c01c5052b$7c2acec0$fc919ed9@D2LKTF1J>
In-Reply-To: <018c01c5052b$7c2acec0$fc919ed9@D2LKTF1J>


The White Paper "Civil Registration : Vital Change" was a consultation
document detailing the governments proposals as to how to change the
registration process, this has now proceeded to a more refined
Consultation Document "Civil Registration : Delivering Vital Change".
Neither of the two above documents are law simply proposals of future
change.

It was at first envisaged that the proposals be forced through under the
carpet using the powers of the Regulatory Reform Act 2001 but the
Regulatory Reform Committee have released their report that such wide
ranging legislation is not suitable for that manner of procedure.
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200405/cmselect/cmdereg/118/11802.htm

There are also some legal questions as to whether the government may
interfere with the way the Church of England records or allows access to
marriage records.
If the Consultation Document eventually becomes law (it will now have to
be found parliamentary time) then every new birth marriage and death
will be placed on a website for all to access (on payment of a small
fee). There will be a few facts withheld from researchers who are not
close family of the person named on the certificate.
These are
Births -
Occupation of parents, mother's usual address, informant's usual address

Deaths -
Occupation, usual address, informant's address usual, cause of death

Marriages -
Rank or profession of groom, address of groom, rank or profession of
father groom, rank or profession of bride, address of bride, rank or
profession of father bride,

I don't have the source to hand at present but I believe the occupations
have been removed from the proposals of the above list.
It should be pointed out that paper certificates will be available for
sometime and even after they have been withdrawn from general use it
will still be possible to get paper certificates if required (though
these will cost more).

Far from reducing access to records the proposals will actually increase
access.
It is also proposed that private firms produce websites to enable all
birth, marriage & death records over 100 years old for public access, if
the proposals are passed anyone will be able to instantly gain online
access to any birth, marriage or death registered from the present back
to the beginning of registration in 1837.
It is also proposed to form a through life record of vital records
linking b.m.ds but this will take longer ;-))
Cheers
Guy



Janet wrote:

>I should clarify what was in my mind at the time; it wasnt privacy, nor a 100 year rule to prevent
>publication of indeces.
>I was handed a report in July of last year that advised legislation was in the form of a White Paper
>stating that birth, marriage and death certificates would no longer be issued in paper form from
>Registrars offices and, therefore, current records would be difficult to find. I have checked
>the position this morning, to make sure that I am not going completely batty, to find that it was
>proposed to have come into effect but has been delayed though not abandoned. The advice therefore
>was to get paper form certificates while you can. It is to do with electronic records that make
>them accessible for all and the possibility that because there is only one source of responsibility
>and not hundreds of Registrars, some problems might arise in accessing records.
>
>Janet
>
>
>
>
>

--
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