I beg to move, That the Bill be now read the Third time. Knowing of your connection with Wales, Mr. Deputy Speaker, there is certainly a Welsh flavour about what I trust will be a very short debate. I am a member of the Church in Wales, although I was...

I beg to move, That the Bill be now read the Third time. Knowing of your connection with Wales, Mr. Deputy Speaker, there is certainly a Welsh flavour about what I trust will be a very short debate. I am a member of the Church in Wales, although I was...

As my hon. Friend regularly attends church in Wales, does he know whether the proposal will result in an increased number of church weddings in Wales? Does he have any information about the impact of the 2008 Measure on the number of weddings in churches in England?

As my hon. Friend regularly attends church in Wales, does he know whether the proposal will result in an increased number of church weddings in Wales? Does he have any information about the impact of the 2008 Measure on the number of weddings in churches in England?

I declare at the outset that, like the right hon. Member for Cardiff, South and Penarth (Alun Michael), I am a member of the Church in Wales. As he said, the Bill has full cross-party support for all its provisions, and perhaps more importantly, it has the full support of...

I declare at the outset that, like the right hon. Member for Cardiff, South and Penarth (Alun Michael), I am a member of the Church in Wales. As he said, the Bill has full cross-party support for all its provisions, and perhaps more importantly, it has the full support of...

I congratulate the right hon. Member for Cardiff, South and Penarth (Alun Michael) on the Bill, which is a sensible measure. I declare an interest as a former practising barrister who undertook a certain amount of family law. I absolutely agree with the purpose of the Bill, because the existing...

I congratulate the right hon. Member for Cardiff, South and Penarth (Alun Michael) on the Bill, which is a sensible measure. I declare an interest as a former practising barrister who undertook a certain amount of family law. I absolutely agree with the purpose of the Bill, because the existing...

I do not have any information about the consequences of the 2008 Measure, which is clearly fairly recent. However, I have received representations from people interested in the Bill who think that a widening of the categories of people may be married in a particular church will have a desirable...

I do not have any information about the consequences of the 2008 Measure, which is clearly fairly recent. However, I have received representations from people interested in the Bill who think that a widening of the categories of people may be married in a particular church will have a desirable...

I have very little to say about the Bill, given that I am not a member of the Church of Wales. It would be interesting, however, to speculate on whether the measure will result in an increased number of church weddings. For my part, I certainly hope that will be...

I have very little to say about the Bill, given that I am not a member of the Church of Wales. It would be interesting, however, to speculate on whether the measure will result in an increased number of church weddings. For my part, I certainly hope that will be...

The Liberal Democrats wholeheartedly support the Bill, and we congratulate the right hon. Member for Cardiff, South and Penarth (Alun Michael) on its introduction. The hon. Member for Christchurch (Mr. Chope) asked about the impact of the equivalent Measure in England, but for me the important thing is that the...

The Liberal Democrats wholeheartedly support the Bill, and we congratulate the right hon. Member for Cardiff, South and Penarth (Alun Michael) on its introduction. The hon. Member for Christchurch (Mr. Chope) asked about the impact of the equivalent Measure in England, but for me the important thing is that the...

May I first congratulate my right hon. Friend the Member for Cardiff, South and Penarth (Alun Michael) on successfully steering this Bill through its remaining stages in the Commons? It is good to note from the speeches we have heard that it has not only cross-party support cross-denominational support. The...

May I first congratulate my right hon. Friend the Member for Cardiff, South and Penarth (Alun Michael) on successfully steering this Bill through its remaining stages in the Commons? It is good to note from the speeches we have heard that it has not only cross-party support cross-denominational support. The...

I hope that in future we will be able to look at how we legislate for the Church in Wales and perhaps produce a simpler solution and one that is appropriate in the age of devolution. I am grateful for the support of Members on both sides of the Chamber....

I hope that in future we will be able to look at how we legislate for the Church in Wales and perhaps produce a simpler solution and one that is appropriate in the age of devolution. I am grateful for the support of Members on both sides of the Chamber....

Marriage (Wales) Bill (HL). Report stage (formal). Third reading debate. Agreed on question. Bill passed without amendment.

Marriage (Wales) Bill (HL). Report stage (formal). Third reading debate. Agreed on question. Bill passed without amendment.

First Sitting (Afternoon). Clause 1 agreed to. Clauses 2 to 6 agreed to. Bill to be reported, without amendment.

First Sitting (Afternoon). Clause 1 agreed to. Clauses 2 to 6 agreed to. Bill to be reported, without amendment.

Moved By That this Bill be read a second time.

Moved By That this Bill be read a second time.

My Lords, on behalf of the Government, I, too, congratulate the noble Lord on securing this Second Reading debate. He will know—we have had words about this—that in accordance with normal practice for Private Member's Bills, the Government do not normally support or oppose them, and we make no exception...

My Lords, on behalf of the Government, I, too, congratulate the noble Lord on securing this Second Reading debate. He will know—we have had words about this—that in accordance with normal practice for Private Member's Bills, the Government do not normally support or oppose them, and we make no exception...

My Lords, I have no interests knowingly to declare. I am not sure that I have ever spoken on Welsh matters before, and I have certainly never spoken on a Marriage (Wales) Bill before; I did not speak on the 1985 Act pushed through by Lord Gibson-Watt. I, too, congratulate...

My Lords, I have no interests knowingly to declare. I am not sure that I have ever spoken on Welsh matters before, and I have certainly never spoken on a Marriage (Wales) Bill before; I did not speak on the 1985 Act pushed through by Lord Gibson-Watt. I, too, congratulate...

Yes, my Lords, it is disestablished, but that in no way takes away from the fact that it has its own rules.

Yes, my Lords, it is disestablished, but that in no way takes away from the fact that it has its own rules.

My Lords, it is disestablished!

My Lords, it is disestablished!

My Lords, I declare the following interests in relation to this Bill, which are contained in the Register of your Lordships’ House; namely, I am both an ex officio member of the Governing Body and chairman of the Representative Body of the Church in Wales. The Bill before your Lordships...

My Lords, I declare the following interests in relation to this Bill, which are contained in the Register of your Lordships’ House; namely, I am both an ex officio member of the Governing Body and chairman of the Representative Body of the Church in Wales. The Bill before your Lordships...

My Lords, I suppose I should declare an interest as I live in Gresford, which is in the Church in Wales but on the border. I have never found any particular difficulty in marriages there. It was in 1985 that Lord Gibson-Watt introduced a Marriage (Wales) Bill in order to...

My Lords, I suppose I should declare an interest as I live in Gresford, which is in the Church in Wales but on the border. I have never found any particular difficulty in marriages there. It was in 1985 that Lord Gibson-Watt introduced a Marriage (Wales) Bill in order to...

My Lords, I commend the noble Lord, Lord Rowe-Beddoe, for introducing this Bill which would make the provision that we enjoy in England exactly the same in Wales. I speak only in order to make abundantly clear that the Church of England offers nothing but the strongest support for the...

My Lords, I commend the noble Lord, Lord Rowe-Beddoe, for introducing this Bill which would make the provision that we enjoy in England exactly the same in Wales. I speak only in order to make abundantly clear that the Church of England offers nothing but the strongest support for the...