Asked by: Royston Smith (Conservative - Southampton, Itchen)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the report entitled Celebrating Marriage: A New Weddings Law published by the Law Commission on 18 July 2022, HC 557, what steps the Government is taking to implement the changes proposed to permit weddings to take place under the law of England and Wales on board cruise ships registered in the UK.
Answered by Mike Freer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
The Law Commission report on weddings contains 57 recommendations for legislative reform which we are currently considering, including recommendations in relation to cruise ships.
Marriage will always be one of our most important institutions, and we have a duty to consider the implications of any changes to the law in this area very carefully. We will set out our position on the Law Commission’s recommendations relating to weddings reform in due course.
Asked by: Tulip Siddiq (Labour - Hampstead and Kilburn)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the Answer of 14 September 2023 to Question 198188, whether his Department has made a further assessment of the implications for his policies of the Law Commission report entitled Celebrating Marriage: A New Weddings Law, published in July 2022; and when his Department plans to publish a response to that report.
Answered by Mike Freer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
The Government is still carefully considering the Law Commission’s 57 recommendations for weddings reform and will publish a response in due course.
Mentions:
1: None turned water into wine, was an act of both compassion and revelation.In the culture of Jesus’s day, weddings - Speech Link
Mentions:
1: Emma Lewell-Buck (Lab - South Shields) Majesty the King, the 90th birthday and platinum jubilee of Her late Majesty, the 2011 and 2018 royal weddings - Speech Link
2: Nickie Aiken (Con - Cities of London and Westminster) whether the Olympics, the Paralympics, the football World cup, the Euros, the Ashes, coronations or royal weddings—I - Speech Link
3: Chris Philp (Con - Croydon South) coronation last year, Her late Majesty the Queen’s 90th birthday and her platinum jubilee, the royal weddings - Speech Link
Asked by: Anneliese Dodds (Labour (Co-op) - Oxford East)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the report entitled Celebrating Marriage: A New Weddings Law published by the Law Commission on 18 July 2022, HC 557, what steps the Government is taking to implement the changes proposed to (a) the conduct of legally binding weddings by (i) non-religious belief organisations and (ii) independent celebrants, (b) the locations in which people can get married and (c) other aspects of weddings law; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Mike Freer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
The Law Commission report contains 57 recommendations for legislative reform. We are taking the time to fully consider the report’s recommendations.
Marriage will always be one of our most important institutions, and we have a duty to consider the implications of any changes to the law in this area very carefully. We will publish a response to the report in due course.
Mentions:
1: Natalie Elphicke (Con - Dover) local businesses and shops in the town of Dover, and harm access to the church, including access for weddings - Speech Link
Asked by: John Healey (Labour - Wentworth and Dearne)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 3 July 2023 to Ministry of Defence: Weddings, on what date did a civil (a) marriage and (b) partnership last take place on the Defence Estate in (a) England and (b) Cyprus.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
Civil marriages and partnerships occur on Defence estates outside the UK and will comply with host countries’ laws or the Sovereign Base Regulations. The last civil marriage that took place on Defence estates in Cyprus was 11 March 2023 and the last civil partnership that took place on Defence estates in Cyprus was 27 June 2022.
Civil marriages or partnerships cannot take place on the Defence Estate in England and Wales due to The Marriages and Civil Partnership (Approved Premises) Regulations 2005, which requires Approved Premises to be regularly available to the public. That is not tenable in respect of the defence estate because of security concerns.
On 24 July 2023, in my capacity as Minister for Defence People, Veterans and Service Families, I wrote to the Ministry of Justice to enquire about amending the legislation to remove the requirement for unrestricted public access. Such an amendment would ensure that the Defence community could enter into civil marriages and partnerships in locations that have particular significance to them.
Asked by: John Healey (Labour - Wentworth and Dearne)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 3 July 2023 to Question 191222 on on Ministry of Defence: Weddings, what security considerations his Department has identified for not permitting civil marriages or civil partnerships to take place on the Defence Estate in England and Wales.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
Civil marriages and partnerships occur on Defence estates outside the UK and will comply with host countries’ laws or the Sovereign Base Regulations. The last civil marriage that took place on Defence estates in Cyprus was 11 March 2023 and the last civil partnership that took place on Defence estates in Cyprus was 27 June 2022.
Civil marriages or partnerships cannot take place on the Defence Estate in England and Wales due to The Marriages and Civil Partnership (Approved Premises) Regulations 2005, which requires Approved Premises to be regularly available to the public. That is not tenable in respect of the defence estate because of security concerns.
On 24 July 2023, in my capacity as Minister for Defence People, Veterans and Service Families, I wrote to the Ministry of Justice to enquire about amending the legislation to remove the requirement for unrestricted public access. Such an amendment would ensure that the Defence community could enter into civil marriages and partnerships in locations that have particular significance to them.
Mentions:
1: Emma Lewell-Buck (Lab - South Shields) the King, Her late Majesty the Queen’s 90th birthday and platinum jubilee, the 2011 and 2018 royal weddings - Speech Link
2: Laura Farris (Con - Newbury) King’s coronation, Her late Majesty’s two last jubilees—the diamond and platinum jubilees—the royal weddings - Speech Link