Written question asked by Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat) on Tuesday, 22 June 2021, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 24 June 2021. It was answered by Alex Chalk (Conservative) on Wednesday, 30 June 2021 on behalf of the Ministry of Justice.

Marriage: Humanism

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the announcement of 20 June 2021 that secondary legislation will be brought forward to permit outdoor civil wedding and partnership registrations, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to legally recognise humanist marriages on the same basis.

Answer: A Law Commission report due later this year is expected to present options for wholesale reform to the law governing marriage ceremonies, which the Government will consider carefully. Options being explored by the Law Commission include offering couples greater flexibility to form their own ceremonies, allowing the ceremony to take place in a much broader range of locations, and powers to hold weddings remotely in a national emergency. The Government will decide on provision for non-religious belief marriage on the basis of the Law Commission's recommendations.

Secondary information