Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether the Government has recently met with representatives from Humanist organisations to discuss the merits of legally recognising humanist marriages.
Answered by Alex Chalk - Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
The Ministry of Justice is responsible for marriage law in England and Wales. Marriage law in Scotland and Northern Ireland is a devolved matter.
The Government has received a number of representations about making separate provision for humanist marriage in England and Wales. As we have made clear, a Law Commission report due later this year is expected to present options for wholesale reform to the law governing marriage ceremonies, which the Government will consider carefully. Options being explored by the Law Commission include offering couples greater flexibility to form their own ceremonies, allowing the ceremony to take place in a much broader range of locations and to provide a framework that could allow non-religious belief organisations (such as Humanists) and/or independent celebrants to conduct legally binding weddings.
The Government will decide on provision for non-religious belief marriage in light of the Law Commission's recommendations.
I met with representatives of Humanists UK on 15 December 2020 and my noble friend Lord Wolfson has committed to a further meeting later this year. In the meantime, officials in the Ministry of Justice will continue to engage with representatives from Humanists UK.
Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent representations the Government has received on the merits of recognising humanist marriages in England and Wales.
Answered by Alex Chalk - Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
The Ministry of Justice is responsible for marriage law in England and Wales. Marriage law in Scotland and Northern Ireland is a devolved matter.
The Government has received a number of representations about making separate provision for humanist marriage in England and Wales. As we have made clear, a Law Commission report due later this year is expected to present options for wholesale reform to the law governing marriage ceremonies, which the Government will consider carefully. Options being explored by the Law Commission include offering couples greater flexibility to form their own ceremonies, allowing the ceremony to take place in a much broader range of locations and to provide a framework that could allow non-religious belief organisations (such as Humanists) and/or independent celebrants to conduct legally binding weddings.
The Government will decide on provision for non-religious belief marriage in light of the Law Commission's recommendations.
I met with representatives of Humanists UK on 15 December 2020 and my noble friend Lord Wolfson has committed to a further meeting later this year. In the meantime, officials in the Ministry of Justice will continue to engage with representatives from Humanists UK.
Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the Government's policy is on the recognition of humanist marriages in (a) England and Wales and (b) Scotland.
Answered by Alex Chalk - Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
The Ministry of Justice is responsible for marriage law in England and Wales. Marriage law in Scotland and Northern Ireland is a devolved matter.
The Government has received a number of representations about making separate provision for humanist marriage in England and Wales. As we have made clear, a Law Commission report due later this year is expected to present options for wholesale reform to the law governing marriage ceremonies, which the Government will consider carefully. Options being explored by the Law Commission include offering couples greater flexibility to form their own ceremonies, allowing the ceremony to take place in a much broader range of locations and to provide a framework that could allow non-religious belief organisations (such as Humanists) and/or independent celebrants to conduct legally binding weddings.
The Government will decide on provision for non-religious belief marriage in light of the Law Commission's recommendations.
I met with representatives of Humanists UK on 15 December 2020 and my noble friend Lord Wolfson has committed to a further meeting later this year. In the meantime, officials in the Ministry of Justice will continue to engage with representatives from Humanists UK.
Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent discussions he has had with the (a) HM Advocate General for Scotland and (b) Attorney General on the merits of the introduction of humanists marriages across the UK.
Answered by Alex Chalk - Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
The Ministry of Justice is responsible for marriage law in England and Wales. Marriage law in Scotland and Northern Ireland is a devolved matter.
The Government has received a number of representations about making separate provision for humanist marriage in England and Wales. As we have made clear, a Law Commission report due later this year is expected to present options for wholesale reform to the law governing marriage ceremonies, which the Government will consider carefully. Options being explored by the Law Commission include offering couples greater flexibility to form their own ceremonies, allowing the ceremony to take place in a much broader range of locations and to provide a framework that could allow non-religious belief organisations (such as Humanists) and/or independent celebrants to conduct legally binding weddings.
The Government will decide on provision for non-religious belief marriage in light of the Law Commission's recommendations.
I met with representatives of Humanists UK on 15 December 2020 and my noble friend Lord Wolfson has committed to a further meeting later this year. In the meantime, officials in the Ministry of Justice will continue to engage with representatives from Humanists UK.
Asked by: Craig Whittaker (Conservative - Calder Valley)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether the Law Commission is reviewing non-religious belief marriage as part of their review of marriage; and if he will use the powers that are available to him to legalise non-religious marriage ceremonies to help clear the backlog created by the covid-19 outbreak without waiting for that review to report.
Answered by Alex Chalk - Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
The Law Commission report due later this year is expected to present options for wholesale reform to the law governing marriage ceremonies, which the Government will consider carefully. Options being explored by the Law Commission include offering couples greater flexibility to form their own ceremonies, allowing the ceremony to take place in a much broader range of locations and to provide a framework that could allow non-religious belief organisations (such as Humanists) and/or independent celebrants to conduct legally binding weddings.
The Government will decide on provision for non-religious belief marriage in the light of the Law Commission's recommendations and it is right for us to await these recommendations.
Delivery of registration services falls to local authorities who continue to manage the demand for civil marriage within their respective geographical areas during recovery from the pandemic.
Asked by: Baroness Featherstone (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask Her Majesty's Government why they have undertaken interim civil marriage reform to legislate for outdoor weddings but have not done the same for humanist marriages.
Answered by Lord Wolfson of Tredegar
The Marriage (Same Sex) Couples Act 2013 enables same-sex couples to have a civil marriage and also allows religious organisations to opt in to marry same-sex couples, should they wish to do so. Separately, Government consulted in 2014 on marriages by non-religious belief organisations. A 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.
The Government in 2019 committed to accelerate plans to allow civil weddings and civil partnerships to be held outside and said it would look to implement these changes through secondary legislation, subject to any necessary consultation. On 1 July, time limited amending regulations came into force to allow couples who can already legally marry to have their civil wedding ceremony in the linked outdoor areas of Approved Premises. The Government will undertake a public consultation on these measures and intends to produce an Impact Assessment. A further instrument will be laid in Spring 2022.
A Law Commission project on marriage and civil partnership is due to report later this year and is expected to present recommendations for wholesale reform to the law governing marriage ceremonies, which the Government will consider carefully. Options being explored by the Law Commission as part of their review include offering couples greater flexibility over the form of their ceremony, allowing the ceremony to take place in a much broader range of locations and to provide a framework that could allow non-religious belief organisations, such as Humanists and independent celebrants, to conduct legally binding weddings. The Government will decide on provision for non-religious belief marriage in light of the Law Commission's recommendations.
Asked by: Baroness Featherstone (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of legally recognising humanist marriages on choice for same-sex couples wanting to get married.
Answered by Lord Wolfson of Tredegar
The Marriage (Same Sex) Couples Act 2013 enables same-sex couples to have a civil marriage and also allows religious organisations to opt in to marry same-sex couples, should they wish to do so. Separately, Government consulted in 2014 on marriages by non-religious belief organisations. A 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.
The Government in 2019 committed to accelerate plans to allow civil weddings and civil partnerships to be held outside and said it would look to implement these changes through secondary legislation, subject to any necessary consultation. On 1 July, time limited amending regulations came into force to allow couples who can already legally marry to have their civil wedding ceremony in the linked outdoor areas of Approved Premises. The Government will undertake a public consultation on these measures and intends to produce an Impact Assessment. A further instrument will be laid in Spring 2022.
A Law Commission project on marriage and civil partnership is due to report later this year and is expected to present recommendations for wholesale reform to the law governing marriage ceremonies, which the Government will consider carefully. Options being explored by the Law Commission as part of their review include offering couples greater flexibility over the form of their ceremony, allowing the ceremony to take place in a much broader range of locations and to provide a framework that could allow non-religious belief organisations, such as Humanists and independent celebrants, to conduct legally binding weddings. The Government will decide on provision for non-religious belief marriage in light of the Law Commission's recommendations.
Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 30 June 2021 to Question 20609, on Marriage: Humanism, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of granting legal recognition to humanist marriages on the same time-limited basis as outdoor civil marriages.
Answered by Alex Chalk - Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
As the Government has made clear, a Law Commission project on marriage and civil partnership is due to report later this year and is expected to present recommendations for wholesale reform to the law governing marriage ceremonies, which the Government will consider carefully.
Options being explored by the Law Commission as part of their review include offering couples greater flexibility over the form of their ceremony, allowing the ceremony to take place in a much broader range of locations and to provide a framework that could allow non-religious belief organisations, such as Humanists and independent celebrants, to conduct legally binding weddings.
The Government will decide on provision for non-religious belief marriage in light of the Law Commission's recommendations.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what plans the Government has to recognise in law humanist marriage ceremonies.
Answered by Alex Chalk - Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
A Law Commission project on marriage and civil partnership is due to report later this year and is expected to present recommendations for wholesale reform to the law governing marriage ceremonies, which the Government will consider carefully.
Options being explored by the Law Commission as part of their review include offering couples greater flexibility over the form of their ceremony, allowing the ceremony to take place in a much broader range of locations and to provide a framework that could allow non-religious belief organisations, such as Humanists and independent celebrants, to conduct legally binding weddings. The Government will decide on provision for non-religious belief marriage in light of the Law Commission's recommendations.
Asked by: Jeff Smith (Labour - Manchester, Withington)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the additional covid-19 risks faced by humanist couples as a result of being required to hold both a humanist wedding in line with their beliefs and a marriage ceremony conferring legal recognition.
Answered by Alex Chalk - Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
A Law Commission report due later this year is expected to present options for wholesale reform to the law governing marriage ceremonies, which the Government will consider carefully. Options being explored by the Law Commission include offering couples greater flexibility to form their own ceremonies, allowing the ceremony to take place in a much broader range of locations, and powers to hold weddings remotely in a national emergency. The Government will decide on provision for non-religious belief marriage on the basis of the Law Commission's recommendations.
Delivery of registration services falls to local authorities who continue to manage the demand for civil marriage within their respective geographical areas during recovery from the pandemic.
The Government has published guidance on gov.uk to assist couples in planning for their marriage or civil partnership formation in England, and for venues that host ceremonies and receptions to enable them to prepare for these events. The guidance sets out how this can be done in a manner that is safe and complies with legal requirements and social distancing guidelines. The Welsh Government has published similar guidance in respect of Wales.