Marriage

This page highlights some of the current parliamentary material available on marriage. This includes select committee reports, briefing papers on current legislation and other subjects produced by the parliamentary research services, and the latest Early Day Motions put down by MPs.

Standard Notes

Date	Description
16.07.2013	Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill: Lords amendments
	The purpose of this note is to draw attention to the principal amendments that were made in the Lords. It does not cover all minor or technical amendments. All the agreed amendments were Government amendments, many of which were moved in response to amendments proposed but not agreed at earlier stages, and commitments made by the Government to consider matters further. Peers debated many other amendments, on some of which they voted, but this note does not cover amendments that were not agreed.
14.05.2013	Humanist marriage ceremonies
	At present, humanist weddings do not have legal force and the parties must have an additional ceremony (for example, at a register office) for the marriage to be legally valid. The British Humanist Association is campaigning for the law to be changed to allow humanist celebrants to conduct legal marriages.
14.05.2013	Marriage venues
	At present, marriages must normally take place in a Register Office; a building that has been approved for the purposes of civil marriage by the local authority of the area in which the building is situated; a building of the Church of England or the Church in Wales; a building that has been registered for the purposes of religious marriage other than in the Church of England or Church in Wales; or a naval, military or air force chapel. There are various conditions surrounding the couple's choice of venue.
19.12.2012	Same-sex marriage and civil partnerships
	In March 2012, the Government launched a consultation on equal civil marriage and asked for views on proposals to remove the ban on same-sex couples being able to have a marriage through a civil ceremony. The consultation period ended on 14 June 2012. The consultation has received a mixed reaction from interested parties.
19.12.2012	Civil partnerships on religious premises
	The Civil Partnership Act 2004 created a legal union which is very similar, but not fully identical, to marriage. Civil partners have the same rights and responsibilities as married couples in many areas. A legally valid marriage can currently be entered into only by a male and a female, whereas a civil partnership is available only to same-sex couples.

Research Papers

Date	Description
19.03.2013	Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill Committee Stage Report
	This is a report on the House of Commons Committee Stage of the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill. It complements Research Paper 13/08 prepared for the Commons Second Reading.
01.02.2013	Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill
	The Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill was introduced into the House of Commons on 24 January 2013 and is due to have its second reading debate on 5 February 2013. It would introduce civil marriage for same sex couples, and enable religious organisations to opt in to conduct same sex marriages if they wish to do so. The Bill includes provisions intended to protect religious organisations and individuals from being forced to conduct same sex marriages. The proposals have proved highly controversial with interested parties expressing strong opinions both for and against same sex marriage. The Bill would also enable civil partners to convert their partnership to a marriage and would enable married transsexual people to gain legal recognition in their acquired gender without having to end their marriage.
20.07.2007	Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Bill [HL] Committee Stage Report
28.06.2007	The Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Bill [HL] Bill 129 of 2006-07

Early Day Motions

Date	Description
03.11.2011	FAITHFULNESS MATTERS CAMPAIGN
	That this House supports the Faithfulness Matters campaign which affirms that faithfulness between people in committed relationships matters, for individuals, for families, for children ...
09.03.2011	ROYAL WEDDING PUBLIC HOLIDAY
	That this House welcomes the announcement of a public holiday for the Royal Wedding on 29 April 2011; notes with concern that some employers are not giving their employees the day off; ...
13.01.2011	PROPOSAL FOR FREE TRAVEL IN LONDON ON ROYAL WEDDING DAY
	That this House notes that millions of people will need to move around London on the day of the Royal Wedding on 29 April 2011; further notes that many visitors to London and tourists ...
17.11.2010	ENGAGEMENT OF HRH PRINCE WILLIAM AND CATHERINE MIDDLETON
	That this House congratulates HRH Prince William and Kate Middleton on their engagement; and wishes them a long and happy marriage.
13.09.2010	RELIGIOUS MARRIAGE CEREMONIES IN THE UK
	That this House notes the provisions of the Marriage Act 1949 and the Marriage Act (Scotland) 1977; further notes that these two Acts create a differential standard of recognition for ...

Lords Library Notes

Date	Description
30.05.2013	Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill (HL Bill 29 of 2013-14)
	The Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill would extend civil marriage to include same-sex couples and allow those religious organisations who wished to do so to conduct same-sex marriage ceremonies. This Library Note provides background reading in advance of the Bill's second reading in the House of Lords on 3 June 2013.
07.02.2011	Debate on 10 February: The Role of Marriage and Marriage Support in British Society
	This Library Note provides background reading for the debate on the role of marriage and marriage support in British society eleven years after the report on 'Funding for Marriage Support' by Sir Graham Hart.