(Minister for Women and
Equalities): This Government is committed to
fairness and equal treatment in all areas of life. Families, in
all their forms, are a fundamental element of society, and we
want to ensure that they are as secure and stable as possible, in
order for people to flourish.
Civil partnerships were originally created to enable same-sex
couples to formalise their relationships at a time when marriage
was not available to them. Since then, we are pleased to have
introduced marriage for same-sex couples through the Marriage
(Same-Sex Couples) Act 2013. However, this created a situation
whereby same-sex couples have the option to either marry or form
a civil partnership, but opposite-sex couples only have the
option to marry
The Government has been considering how to equalise access to
civil partnerships between same-sex and opposite-sex couples and
on 2 October, the Prime Minister announced that the Government
will extend civil partnerships to opposite-sex couples.
There are around 3.3million cohabiting couples in the UK, almost
half of them with children, and all of them without the
protections and security that a formalised relationship can
bring. The announcement ensures that, in future, opposite-sex
couples will be able to benefit from the protections and security
that a civil partnership provides.
I would like to pay tribute to those who have campaigned for this
change over a number of years, including my hon friend for East
Worthing and Shoreham, whose commitment to this cause has laid
the foundation for the Government to take forward this important
change through his support for the cause of equal civil
partnerships, and his ‘Civil Partnerships, Marriages and Deaths
(Registration etc.)’ Bill, currently before the House.
The changes needed to effect the greater equality we wish to see
are not all straightforward and there are a number of questions
that arise specifically about opening civil partnerships to
opposite-sex couples for the first time, on which we will need to
consult. For example, whether couples can choose to convert their
civil partnership into a marriage (or vice-versa) and what should
be the grounds for dissolution of an opposite-sex civil
partnership.
We are clear that Government legislation is essential to ensure
that these and other consequentials of opposite-sex civil
partnerships are properly legislated for and adequately debated
by this house and in the other place. This would not be possible
through my Hon. Friend’s bill as currently amended.
We intend to consult to enable us to introduce legislation in the
next Parliamentary Session to bring about the necessary changes.
