Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether she plans to bring forward legislative proposals to permit outdoor religious weddings.
Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
The Law Commission’s 2022 report on weddings raises a number of issues around weddings law, including giving greater choice in how and where individuals can get married.
Given marriage will always be one of our most important institutions, it is right that we take the time to carefully consider this report before we set out our position on weddings reform in the coming months.
Asked by: Baroness Smith of Llanfaes (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede on 8 April (HL6586), what religious and non-religious groups they are aware of that wish to conduct legally recognised marriages in England and Wales and are unable to do so.
Answered by Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede
As I mentioned in my previous answer on 08 April, the Law Commission’s 2022 report on weddings law made 57 recommendations for the wholesale reform of weddings law, including recommendations that would enable non-religious belief groups, such as humanists, to conduct legally binding weddings. The Government is aware that humanists wish to conduct legally binding weddings, which they have long been campaigning for, and we are grateful for the contributions that humanists make to our society.
The Law Commission also concluded that weddings law is not working for couples belonging to many different groups, and that it is unfair and inconsistent. It is the Law Commission’s view that their recommendations would create equitable rules for all groups, including religious groups; reduce the number of religious only (non-legally binding) weddings, which can leave vulnerable people without rights on separation; and provide greater choice for couples, lowering the cost of weddings and making them more accessible to all.
Marriage will always be one of our most important institutions and we have a duty to consider any changes to our marriage law carefully. As a new Government, it is right that we take the time to consider this issue, and we will set out our position on weddings reform in the coming months.
Asked by: Baroness Smith of Llanfaes (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they are aware of (1) religious, and (2) non-religious, groups who wish to conduct legally recognised marriages in England and Wales and are unable to do so.
Answered by Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede
The Government is aware that humanists have long been campaigning to conduct legally binding weddings, and we are grateful for the contributions that humanists make to our society.
The Law Commission’s 2022 report on weddings law made 57 recommendations for the wholesale reform of weddings law, including recommendations that would enable non-religious belief groups, such as humanists, to conduct legally binding weddings. The Law Commission also concluded that weddings law is not working for couples belonging to many different groups, and that it is unfair and inconsistent.
Marriage will always be one of our most important institutions and we have a duty to consider any changes to our marriage law carefully. As a new Government, it is right that we take the time to consider this issue, and we will set out our position on weddings reform in the coming months.
Asked by: Baroness Smith of Llanfaes (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to legally recognise humanist marriages in England and Wales.
Answered by Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede
The Government is aware that humanists have long been campaigning to conduct legally binding weddings, and we are grateful for the contributions that humanists make to our society.
The Law Commission’s 2022 report on weddings law made 57 recommendations for the wholesale reform of weddings law, including recommendations that would enable non-religious belief groups, such as humanists, to conduct legally binding weddings. The Law Commission also concluded that weddings law is not working for couples belonging to many different groups, and that it is unfair and inconsistent.
Marriage will always be one of our most important institutions and we have a duty to consider any changes to our marriage law carefully. As a new Government, it is right that we take the time to consider this issue, and we will set out our position on weddings reform in the coming months.
Asked by: Max Wilkinson (Liberal Democrat - Cheltenham)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of legally recognising humanist wedding ceremonies.
Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
The Government is aware that humanists have long been campaigning to conduct legally binding weddings. We are grateful for the contributions that humanists make to our society.
The Law Commission’s 2022 report on weddings raises a number of issues around weddings law. Given marriage will always be one of our most important institutions, it is right that as a new Government we take the time to carefully consider this report before we set out our position in the coming months.
Asked by: Lord Jackson of Peterborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to address barriers to marriage faced by lower income couples following the publication of new research by the Marriage Foundation.
Answered by Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede
The Law Commission’s 2022 report on weddings law made 57 recommendations for the reform of weddings law and set out its view that its recommendations would provide greater choice for couples, lowering the cost of weddings and making them more accessible to all.
Marriage will always be one of our most important institutions. That is why we are carefully considering the Law Commission’s report and have a duty to take the time to consider these important issues. We will set out our position on weddings reform in the coming months.
Asked by: John Lamont (Conservative - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will have discussions with the Scottish Government on the potential merits of banning first-cousin marriage in (a) Scotland and (b) the UK.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Scotland Office Ministers and officials regularly engage with counterparts in the Scottish Government on issues that matter to the people of Scotland.
We are aware that all aspects of weddings, including first cousin marriage, are important issues. The Scottish Parliament has power to legislate in relation to marriages in Scotland.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 5 February 2025 to Question 902578 on Marriage: Relatives, what her Department's timetable is for the consideration of the Law Commission’s 2022 wedding report.
Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
The Law Commission set out that its recommendations would provide greater choice for couples in deciding how and where they get married. Marriage will always be one of our most important institutions and we must consider any recommendations to change weddings law carefully, including in relation to cousin marriage.
We will take the time to properly consider their report before setting out our position in the coming months.
Asked by: Rachel Hopkins (Labour - Luton South and South Bedfordshire)
Question
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, whether she has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Justice on legally binding humanist marriages in England and Wales.
Answered by Nia Griffith
I pay tribute to my Hon. Friend for her long-standing work in support of humanist issues, and I am aware that humanists have long been campaigning for legally binding humanist weddings. The Law Commission published a report on weddings in July 2022 containing 57 recommendations to reform weddings law. We are considering these recommendations and will confirm our position in the coming months.
Asked by: Lord Jackson of Peterborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to implement the proposal of the Law Commission in its Celebrating Marriage: A New Weddings Law, published on 18 July 2022 (HC 557), to place regulatory conditions on the officiant rather than the location in which the wedding takes place.
Answered by Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede
The Law Commission’s 2022 report on weddings law made 57 recommendations for the wholesale reform of weddings law, including recommendations for an officiant-based weddings model. This would shift the focus of regulation from the building or venue where the wedding takes place to the officiant. The Law Commission set out its view that its recommendations would provide greater choice for couples in deciding how and where they get married, and the form and content of the ceremony.
I am sure you will agree that marriage will always be one of our most important institutions, and we have a duty to consider any changes to the law carefully. As a new Government, we need time to consider this issue, and we will set out our position on weddings reform in the coming months.