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National Registration Act 1939

As Enacted Cited authorities 1 Cited in Amendments 1 Related
Vincent
JurisdictionUK Non-devolved
Citation1939 c. 91


National Registration Act, 1939

(2 & 3 Geo. 6.) CHAPTER 91.

An Act to make provision for the establishment of a National Register, for the issue of identity cards, and for purposes connected with the matters aforesaid.

[5th September 1939]

Be it enacted by the King's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—

S-1 Establishment of National Register.

1 Establishment of National Register.

(1) Subject to the provisions of this Act, there shall be a register of all persons in the United Kingdom at the appointed time, and of all persons entering or born in the United Kingdom after that time, and there shall be recorded in the register in relation to those persons such particulars with respect to the matters specified in the Schedule to this Act as may be prescribed by regulations made by the Ministers.

(2) The said register shall be called the National Register and is hereafter in this Act referred to as ‘the Register.’

S-2 Duties of Registrar-General.

2 Duties of Registrar-General.

(1) It shall be the duty of the Registrar-General to make such arrangements and do such things as are necessary for the initiation and maintenance of the Register in accordance with the provisions of this Act and of any regulations made thereunder, and for that purpose to make arrangements for the preparation and issue of the necessary forms and instructions and for the collection or reception of the forms when filled in.

(2) The Registrar-General in the exercise of his powers under this Act or under regulations made thereunder shall be subject to the control of, and comply with any directions given by, the appropriate Minister.

S-3 Initiation of Register.

3 Initiation of Register.

3. For the purpose of initiating the Register, the Ministers may make regulations providing for such matters as may be necessary or expedient, and in particular, but without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing words of this section—

a ) providing, in connection with the collection reception and recording of the information required in relation to persons in the United Kingdom at the appointed time, for the division of the country into districts and, in the case of such of those districts as may be prescribed, for the grouping of districts in areas, and for the employment of persons to act in the several districts and areas;
b ) requiring persons employed under the regulations to make a statutory declaration with respect to the performance of their duties, and authorising any superintendent-registrar or registrar to take such a declaration
c ) requiring persons who have undertaken to perform duties in connection with the taking of a census under the Census Act, 1920, to per form in lieu thereof similar duties, subject as nearly as may be to the terms and conditions of their undertaking, in connection with the initiation of the Register;
d ) prescribing the persons or classes of persons by whom returns are to be made (whether as respects themselves or as respects other persons) the persons to whom returns are to be made and the form of the returns, and providing for the collection or delivery of the returns;
e ) requiring the information necessary for the making of a return with respect to any person to be given either by that person, or by such other person as may be prescribed, to the person by whom the return is to be made.
S-4 Maintenance of Register.

4 Maintenance of Register.

4. For the purpose of maintaining the Register, the Ministers may make regulations providing for such matters as may be necessary or expedient, and in particular, but without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing words of this section, providing—

a ) for the making of returns, in respect of any registered person, containing particulars of any change of circumstances affecting the accuracy of such of the particulars recorded in the Register in relation to that person as may be prescribed;
b ) for the making of returns, in respect of persons entering or born in the United Kingdom after the appointed time, containing such particulars with respect to such of the matters specified in the Schedule to this Act as may be prescribed;
c ) for the collection of such particulars with respect to registered persons dying or leaving the United Kingdom as may be prescribed;
d ) for the recording of particulars obtained under this Act in such manner, at such places and by such persons as may be prescribed.
S-5 Vouching of information.

5 Vouching of information.

5. The appropriate Minister, or any person authorised by him for the purpose of this section, may require a person who has given any information in pursuance of this Act or regulations made thereunder to furnish such documentary or other evidence of the truth of that information as it is within the power of that person to furnish.

S-6 Identity cards.

6 Identity cards.

(1) It shall be the duty of the Registrar-General to cause a card containing the prescribed particulars (hereafter in this Act referred to as an ‘identity card’) to be issued with respect to every registered person in accordance with regulations made under this section.

(2) The Ministers shall by regulations—

(a ) prescribe the...

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