---

Civil Partnership Act 2004 (International Immunities and Privileges, Companies and Adoption) Order 2005

My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Duke and to the noble Baroness for their support, even with the question. The question about sisters arose during the substantive discussion on civil partnerships. Your Lordships’ House and the other place decided that the definition of an appropriate civil partnership was fully and frankly debated and a conclusion was reached. That conclusion did not include sisters in that state of affairs. Should a sister want to adopt a child, the question would be about the suitability of the adoption in its own right, in those circumstances, and without bearing on the civil partnership status, which would not exist between them. It was an intriguing, perhaps even a teasing, question and I hope that I have answered it as factually as I can. I commend the order to the House. On Question, Motion agreed to.