In June 2012, the Equality and Diversity Forum (EDF) submitted its response to the government consultation on equal civil marriage.
The Home Office consultation on equal civil marriage closed on 14 June 2012. Its key proposals are:
- to enable same-sex couples to have a civil marriage i.e. only civil ceremonies in a register office or approved premises (like a hotel)
- to make no changes to religious marriages. This will continue to only be legally possible between a man and a woman
- to retain civil partnerships for same-sex couples and allow couples already in a civil partnership to convert this into a marriage
- civil partnership registrations on religious premises will continue as is currently possible i.e. on a voluntary basis for faith groups and with no religious content
- individuals will, for the first time, be able legally to change their gender without having to end their marriage
Click here for details of consultation
Click here for written ministerial statement by The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Equalities and Criminal Information (Lynne Featherstone)
Click here for EDF response