Written question asked by Cameron Thomas (Independent (affiliation)) on Tuesday, 1 September 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 3 September 2026. It was answered by Jake Richards (Labour) on Wednesday, 9 September 2026 on behalf of the Ministry of Justice.

Marriage: Reform

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he plans to take to allow independent celebrants to conduct legally recognised weddings.

Answer

On 16 July, the Government published the consultation ‘Tying the Knot: Reforming weddings law in England and Wales’. The Government has taken the initial view that independent officiants should be permitted to conduct legally binding weddings as part of a reformed weddings framework. The consultation seeks views on how this could operate in practice, including the regulation and training requirements that should apply to independent officiants.

The consultation closes on 24 September. The Government will then consider the findings of the consultation carefully before finalising our policy positions. Any finalised reforms would then be brought forward when parliamentary time allows.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 26452
Session: 2026-27
Subjects: Marriage Reform
Link: View this Written question on www.parliament.uk

Marriage: Reform

Secondary information

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