Part 1: Main Provisions Section 18 and Schedule 13: Registration of deaths and still-births etc Part 3 - Northern Ireland
The registration of deaths and still-births in Northern Ireland is governed by the Births and Deaths Registration (Northern Ireland) Order 1976 (the "1976 Order") and the Civil Registration Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2012 (the "2012 Regulations").
	The modifications made by Part 3 include streamlining the registration of a still birth. Part 3 requires a registered doctor or registered midwife to send a certificate of cause of stillbirth electronically to the registrar. In addition following receipt of the notification and a copy of the certificate of cause of stillbirth, the registrar can electronically issue the certificate of registration directly to the funeral director to enable the disposal of the body to proceed.
	The requirements under regulation 25 of the 2012 Regulations that someone must attend personally before a registrar to verify and sign the registration of a death are relaxed and people can provide the particulars required for the registration of deaths or still-births either by telephone or electronically and removing the need for informants to sign the register.
	Part 3 of the Schedule also relaxes requirements under Article 25 of the 1976 Order in relation to the signing of the MCCD) by a doctor. It provides that, if the deceased died of a natural illness and no doctor attended the deceased during their last illness, the MCCD may be signed by any doctor who is able to state the cause of the deceased’s death to the best of their knowledge and belief. If the deceased was seen by a doctor within 28 days prior to death another doctor can sign the MCCD if the person died as a result of natural illness, it is impracticable for the attending doctor to sign the MCCD and the signing doctor can state to the best of their knowledge and belief the cause of death. The Schedule includes a consequential amendment to Form 12 of the 2012 Regulations to align with this procedure.
	Part 3 of the Schedule removes the requirement under section 7 of the Coroners Act (Northern Ireland) 1959 that a death from natural illness or disease must be notified to the coroner if the deceased has not been seen or treated by a registered doctor within 28 days prior to the death.
	A doctor who signs the MCCD can send this electronically directly to the registrar.
	Part 3 also enables the certificate of registration of death to be issued directly to the funeral director to enable the disposal of the body rather than having to be issued to the person giving the information (as provided for under Article 29 of the 1976 Order). It can be provided electronically.
	There are transitional provisions in all three Parts of the Schedule which allow for anything that is being done in reliance on anything in the Schedule to continue to be done even after the relevant provisions no longer have effect. For example, documents relating to the registration of a death or still-birth (such as the cause of death or cause of still-birth certificate) that have been sent electronically before the provisions no longer have effect may still be processed.
	The territorial extent and application of section 18(1) and Part 1 of the Schedule is England and Wales only, the territorial extent and application of section 18(2) and Part 2 of the Schedule is Scotland only and the territorial extent and application of section 18(3) and Part 3 of the Schedule is Northern Ireland only.