Equal Marriage Consultation

Laurence Robertson Excerpts

Tuesday 11th December 2012 Commons Chamber

[Maria Miller]

I certainly hope that that will be one result from what we are talking about today.

[Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury) (Con)]

The Government are hiding behind triple locks and quadruple locks on what may or may not happen in churches. Let me point out that although there are religious and civil ceremonies, there is only one marriage, and many people of all faiths and no faith are deeply offended—I repeat, deeply offended—by these proposals.

[Maria Miller]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right that there is one marriage—there are different ways into it, but there is just one concept of marriage. The locks that we propose are very much about listening to people’s concerns, but not just listening, as they are also about acting and ensuring that the safeguards are effective.