Civil Partnership Ceremonies

The motion

That the Parliament notes with concern indications from some Scottish local authorities that they intend to deny couples registering their civil partnership a ceremony to mark the occasion; notes that under the Civil Partnership Act 2004 local authorities have a duty to provide a registration service but no such duty to offer a ceremony; notes that ceremonies are also discretionary for civil marriage but that no local authority in Scotland has refused to offer them; considers that a partnership or marriage ceremony is an important and meaningful act for many couples; believes that local authorities which allow such ceremonies for civil marriage but refuse them for civil partnership may be in breach of their duty under the Local Government in Scotland Act 2003 to discharge their functions in a manner which encourages equal opportunities, and calls on the Scottish Executive to amend the Family Law (Scotland) Bill to place a clear requirement on local authorities to offer a ceremony both for civil marriages and for civil partnerships, based on the General Register Office for Scotland’s recommended form of words, unless the couple wish to agree a different form of words with the local registrar.

No recorded vote on this motion. Most motions are never debated, and many that are debated are agreed without a division. Vote records are published from 2011.

Green 5 LD 4 SNP 3 SSP 3

Party shown is each supporter’s party when the motion was published.

No contribution in the Official Report cites S2M-03139 by reference.