Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the long-term effect on society of fewer marriages taking place during the covid-19 lockdowns.

Weddings and civil partnerships hold unique significance in people’s lives which is why they have only been suspended when transmission risks from the COVID-19 virus have been particularly high. We are aware that suspension, or restrictions on the number of attendees, may disproportionately affect faith communities where couples cannot start their life together or start a family before they are married. We have worked with the Places of Worship Taskforce to understand the needs of faith and belief wedding ceremonies and factors these into our planning.