9In section 20 (searches of certain register books) after subsection (3) there shall be inserted the following subsections—
“(3A)Where a search is made under subsection (1) or (2) above or, in the case of a register book of marriages wherein the first entry was made before 1st July 1837, under the said section 63 the person having the custody of the register book or the chief officer may require the search to be made in an authenticated photographic copy of the register book; and for the purposes of this subsection a copy shall be regarded as authenticated if it bears a certificate signed by the person who had the custody of the register book or the person who was the chief officer, as the case may be, at the time the certificate was issued to the effect that it is a true copy of the register book.
(3B)Where a search is required under subsection (3A) above to be made in an authenticated photographic copy of a register book, the person making the search may request the person having custody of the register book (the “custodian”) or chief officer to allow the search to be made in the register book on the grounds that the copy is not accurate or that the quality of reproduction of the copy is not adequate for the purpose of the search; and thereupon the custodian or chief officer, if satisfied that the grounds for the request are reasonable or if directed to do so by the archdeacon under subsection (3C) below, shall allow the search to be made in the register book, but only under the supervision of the custodian or chief officer or other person designated by the custodian or chief officer for the purposes of this subsection.
(3C)Where a search is required under subsection (3A) above to be made in an authenticated photographic copy of a register book and a request made under subsection (3B) above is refused, the person making the search may refer the matter to the archdeacon of the archdeaconry in which the parish to which the register book belongs is situated; and thereupon the archdeacon, if satisfied that the grounds for the request are reasonable, may direct the custodian or chief officer to allow the search to be made in the register book.”.