Humanist Marriage

Baroness Thornton Excerpts

Monday 1st December 2014 Lords Chamber

[Lord Ashton of Hyde]

I do not know that there was overwhelming support. The responses are being evaluated at the moment, and there will be an announcement by the end of the year.

[Baroness Thornton (Lab)]

My Lords, I am not sure whether the Minister was in the House at the time but there was overwhelming support in both Houses of Parliament for the amendments. In July 2013, the noble Baroness the Leader of the House, who was then the responsible Minister, gave an assurance to the House that the orders enabling humanist marriages to take place would be laid well ahead of the general election. I would like the Minister to guarantee that that timetable could be met. Will the Government also recognise, as they did with the orders enacting same-sex marriage, that giving a timetable to those who are making arrangements to get married is rather important? Will the date when a humanist wedding is possible be in May, June or July, or at some other point next year?

[Lord Ashton of Hyde]

I cannot give that undertaking because the decision will be made by the end of the year and we will then have to see what is decided. At the moment, I cannot tell what that decision will be.