Commentary on Sections Burial in burial ground Section 10 – Burial register
28.This section requires each burial authority to prepare and maintain a burial register for each burial ground for which it is the authority. The burial register must contain such information about burials that have taken place in the burial ground as is prescribed in regulations made by the Scottish Ministers.
29.Subsection (2) gives the Scottish Ministers the power to make regulations requiring the burial register to be in a form and kept in a manner as specified in the regulations. Ministers may also make other provision relating to the burial register as they consider appropriate.
30.The burial register is to be a public document, and the burial authority must make provision for the register to be made available for inspection by the public. The burial authority may impose a reasonable charge for inspection of the register and may determine the level of the charge. The burial authority must provide extracts of the register if requested and may impose a reasonable charge for providing copies. An extract from the burial register certified by the burial authority as a true copy is sufficient evidence of the burial for the purposes of any court proceedings. The register is to be kept indefinitely.