Modernisation of
Civil Registration
LRSA Year Ahead
Conference
Prepared by S Henstock
Presented to Delegates
Date 11 May 2011
Version 1.0
Background
• Civil Registration commenced in 1837
• Historical core purpose:
– Provides citizens with a civil status in society
– Provides public protection on deaths
– Provides citizens with legal recognition of marriage / civil partnership
– Gathers information to inform central and local government planning,
particularly on health
• Functions are prescribed in statute
• Statute is overly restrictive, dated and not suitable for
modern society
• Significant modernisation can only occur with changes
to statute
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Modernisation Initiatives
• White Paper Civil Registration: Vital Change in 2002
• Consultation – Civil Registration: Delivering Vital Change 2003
• Regulatory Reform Order (Births and Deaths) 2004
• Partial modernisation achieved through:
– Civil Partnership Act 2004
– Gender Recognition Act 2004
– Police and Justice Act 2006
– Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007
– Introduction of new technology
– Introduction of voluntary new governance arrangements for authorities
• Leaves significant areas where modernisation still required
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Extract from Registration Service survey 2010 –
Respondents made a range of suggestions for
modernisation
Aspects of civil registration to modernise to improve efficiency
19%
Changes to marriage legislatio n & pro cedures
15%
A llo w access acro ss regio ns & departments
8%
Ensure RON wo rks
7%
P ro vide an o nline service e.g. fo r registratio ns etc.
B e mo re cautio us abo ut mo dernisatio n whilst maintaining
standards
6%
Changes to death legislatio n & pro cedures
6%
4%
Changes to birth legislatio n & pro cedures
Changes to clergy registratio ns
2%
M o re training
2%
1%
B e mo re independent
Changes to co rrectio n pro cedures
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0%
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4 (Q29)
Future Model / Structure for the
Registration Service
Principles from LRSNP:
•
Place duties on authorities to deliver registration services within a
framework of national standards
•
Remove the geographic limitations of the registration of events and the
removal of the structure of districts, sub districts etc
•
Remove the proscription on duties and post holders
•
Allow for authorities to work across boundaries to encourage
opportunities for shared services
•
Enable authorities to integrate registration services into other services
within framework of national standards
•
Review relationship between RS and GRO – “Enabling, not controlling””
•
Explore opportunities to widen RS involvement in central government
processes and projects
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Registration of births, deaths and stillbirths
Principles from LRSNP:
• Remove geographic limitations on the registration of
events
• Allow for registration in person, by post, by phone or on
line
• Make the electronic record the legal record (remove need
for registers)
• Consider ID check at point of registration
• Allow for birth records to be updated with subsequent
changes of name
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Marriages and Civil Partnerships
Principles from LRSNP:
• Universal civil preliminaries – consider universal civil marriage
registrations
• Remove the limitations on time and place of event, including
allowing “open air” ceremonies
• Greater flexibility on time for approved premises licences if still
required
• Introduce the celebrant model
• Remove requirement for two officers to attend a marriage
• Introduce a schedule system and move away from registers
• Allow for notice to be given anywhere
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Access to Records
Principles from LRSNP:
• Allow for wider sharing of registration data within central/ local
government and other authorised users
• Provide authorities with access to the national database of
records
• Wider and more public access to historic records on line
• Restricted access to modern records
• Allow for historic records to be archived when digitised records
available
• Link records (through life records)
• Allow for different extracts and “clean” records to be produced
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Charging and Funding
Principles from LRSNP:
• Introduce a revised fee and funding structure
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Current Context / Drivers
• Public Sector Reform White Paper – 2011
• The Coalition Programme for Government - themes
– Reduce centralisation and top down control
– Redistribute power from central to local government
– Reduce costs in public sector
– Provide citizens with choice and control over their lives
– Remove red tape and unnecessary burdens
• GRO is part of the Identity and Passport Service
• Priorities are set by Home Office.
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IPS Purpose and Principles
Purpose
IPS provides accurate and secure records of key events
and trusted passport services
Principles
We will deliver our purpose by embedding the following principles
in everything we do:
Trusted and Secure – we will maintain our high standards of integrity
and reliability across all our products, services, and the data we hold
Customer Service – we are proud of the service we provide to
customers and will deliver a modern and affordable service that meets
the needs of today’s society
Operational Focus – we will create a more efficient and connected
organisation with operational excellence at its core
People – we value the contribution of all our people, treat them with
respect and will support them through change
Cost – we will deliver demonstrable value for fee-payers and reduce
our burden on the taxpayer.
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Current approach
• Changes we can make without legislation
• ‘Piggy-backing’ on other bills
eg Protection of Freedoms Bill
• Seek approval for bill
• Review and update policy objectives – align with IPS, HO and
wider Government policy
• Engage with stakeholders
• Analysis of options, benefits, risks, issues
• Develop business case
• Formal consultation as required
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Questions ?
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