§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to ensure that there is established 30W a registrar general for Wales similar to that currently established in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
§ Mr. Patrick JenkinI have been asked to reply.
Whereas both in Scotland and in Northern Ireland there are distinctive bodies of law governing marriages and the registration of births and deaths, each administered by a separate Registrar General, the law on these matters is uniform throughout England and Wales. Legislation would be needed to establish a separate office of registrar general for Wales and a separately administered local registration service. This would not be justified on legal, administrative or economic grounds, nor can it be foreseen that it would offer any practical advantage to the people of Wales.