§ Albert OwenTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is a requirement that the cause of death be printed on death certificates in England and Wales. [174072]
§ Ruth KellyThe information requested falls within the responsibility of the General Registrar for England and Wales, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Albert Owen, dated 18 May 2004:
As National Statistician and Registrar General for England and Wales, I have been asked to reply to your recent question concerning whether it is now a requirement for the cause of death to be printed on death certificates in England and Wales. (174072)
Currently a certified copy of an entry in a death register must contain all the information in the entry, including the cause of death.
However, in January 2002 the Government published a White Paper "Civil Registration: Vital Change" (Cm 5355) containing proposals for the reform of the civil registration service in England and Wales. One of the proposals is in addition to providing a full death certificate, to make available a shortened form that omits the cause of death. It is intended that the White Paper proposals are taken forward by means of an order under the Regulatory Reform Act 2001. A draft order is currently being prepared for laying before Parliament.