Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many registrars are legally required to officiate at a marriage ceremony and what steps she is taking to address the backlog of marriages due to the covid-19 outbreak.
In England and Wales a civil marriage requires two registration officers to attend; a superintendent registrar in whose presence the marriage must be solemnized and a registrar who is required to sign the marriage schedule. Delivery of the service falls to local authorities who are monitoring demand and managing requests within their respective geographical areas.