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European Court of Human Rights: B and L v United Kingdom

On 13 September 2005 judgment was given in the case of B and L v United Kingdom. This case concerned an application before the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg challenging the Marriage Act 1949 prohibition on the marriage of parents-in-law to children-in-law. It was held that the prohibition was in violation of Article 12 of the European Convention on Human Rights. The Government have accepted this judgment and intend to implement it by amending the Marriage Act 1949 by way of a remedial order. Subject to parliamentary approval, this amendment, when in force, will allow marriages between parents and children-in-law. The Government will lay a document containing a draft remedial order and the other information required by the Human Rights Act 1998 before Parliament shortly. The parallel provisions in the Civil Partnership Act 2004 (Schedule 1, Paragraphs 3 and 9; Schedule 27, Paragraph 13 and 17 (in part)) will not be commenced so that same-sex couples that wish to form a civil partnership will have parity of treatment in this regard.