Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of permitting independent celebrants to carry out legal marriage ceremonies.

The Government announced in June 2019 that the Law Commission will conduct a fundamental review of the law on how and where people can legally marry in England and Wales. As part of that review, the Law Commission will make recommendations regarding how provision could be made for the use of independent celebrants and the Government will decide on provision once the Law Commission publishes its recommendations. The Law Commission has now published a consultation paper as part of its review and will welcome responses from all.