Marriage: Humanism

(asked on 17th March 2022) - View Source

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will make an (a) economic and (b) equalities impact assessment of bringing forward legislative proposals for humanist marriages ahead of the outcome of the Law Commission's review of marriage law.


Answered by
Tom Pursglove Portrait
Tom Pursglove
Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
This question was answered on 24th March 2022

The Government consulted in 2014 on marriages by non-religious belief organisations. This concluded that the matter was complex, and that by allowing Humanists to solemnise marriages in unrestricted locations, the Government would create a provision for Humanists that would not be available to all groups. Its summary assessment of costs and benefits was published in the response, which can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/marriages-by-non-religious-belief-organisations.

To ensure we are considering the implications of changing the law on marriage on all groups, we invited the Law Commission to undertake a review which is currently underway and is expected to report in July of this year. By looking at the law comprehensively, the Law Commission will seek to put forward proposals that would ensure that, insofar as possible, groups and couples are all subject to the same rules, costs, and the same level of regulation. That reform is not possible by only authorising Humanist weddings, even on a temporary basis pending the Law Commission report. The Government will reconsider this issue on the basis of the Law Commission's recommendations.

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