Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, pursuant to the Answer of 3 April 2017 to Question 69447, on civil partnerships, whether she plans for an assessment of the effect of the equalisation of civil partnerships between same sex and different sex couples to take place before the Supreme Court has heard and given judgement in the appeal by Steinfeld and Another in their case against the Department for Education.

We understand that the claimants in this case have sought permission to appeal to the Supreme Court. We are currently awaiting the Court’s decision on whether to allow the appeal so we are unable to comment further on the case.

As you know, a General Election has been called. This means that a decision on this policy area will be for the next Government.

As we set out previously, the Government carried out a consultation on the future of civil partnerships in 2014. The review found that there was no clear consensus on the future of civil partnerships. Given the lack of any consensus, the Government did not change the Civil Partnership Act 2004.