ATTEMPTS to reform the way in which births and deaths are registered in England and Wales have been blocked in the House of Commons through the actions of a Dorset MP.

The Registers of Births and Deaths Bill aimed to remove the requirement for paper registers and allow an electronic-only system to avoid duplication of work.

According to Conservative MP Saqib Bhatti, who presented the private member’s bill, removing the need for paper registers and ending quarterly returns could save the taxpayer £20 million over the next 10 years.

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He added: “However, even this figure is conservative. The estimated savings to the taxpayer when considering all the measures to this Bill amount to £170 million.”

But Conservative Christchurch MP and former minister Sir Christopher Chope delivered a 41-minute speech to ensure time ran out for debate on the bill’s second reading on Friday, meaning it could not progress further.

Sir Christopher said he had a desire for physical hard copy registers to remain and raised security concerns over the “draconian measures”.

He said: “How sad that it seems to be the intent of the Government that our future people who are lucky enough to have children that they will not be able to have the privilege of a proper written birth certificate. I think that is quite an unnecessary restriction upon those fundamental freedoms.”

Mr Bhatti asked for his Bill to return for further consideration next month, but it now falls to the bottom of the list of private members’ bills and is unlikely to secure more time for debate.

Sir Christopher suggested ministers might bring the legislation forward as a “Government Bill” instead. He said he would welcome the move as there would be a “proper committee and report stage and second reading debate”.