Lord Lilley
Main Page: Lord Lilley (Conservative - Life peer)Department Debates - View all Lord Lilley's debates with the Ministry of Justice
(3 weeks, 3 days ago)
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Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede (Lab)
I thank the noble Lord for that question. The Government are indeed looking at comprehensive reform. There are many anomalies within our current marriage law and a number of disadvantaged groups. We believe that we need to take our time on this matter to get the answer right, so I thank the noble Lord for his question.
Lord Lilley (Con)
Can the Minister explain to those of us who do not know what either of them are like the difference between a registry office wedding and humanist wedding?
Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede (Lab)
I can answer that for the noble Lord, Lord Lilley. A registry office wedding is legally binding in the eyes of the law in England and Wales. A humanist wedding which is not conducted in a registry office would not be legally binding in that sense. A humanist getting married in England or Wales would essentially have to go through a two-stage process to be married in the eyes of the law in England and Wales.