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| Public Issues |
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Dear Friend
Over the summer there has been some interest in the press on the issue of civil partnership registration ceremonies.
Neither the Scottish nor the Westminster Parliament took a view on this issue and the Act makes no mention of ceremonies.
Effectively this leaves local authorities with discretion on this issue. Some Scottish local authorities appear to have decided to offer ceremonies and others have yet to make a decision. Local authorities will have to take a decision on this matter between now and the end of November - although many will be taking the decision within the next week.
Some registrars are unwilling to perform such ceremonies and there may be issues of freedom of conscience if registrars are compelled to perform these ceremonies.
CARE believes that it is not appropriate for there to be ceremonies associated with civil partnership registration. To hold a ceremony would suggest that registering a civil partnership has the same status as a heterosexual wedding, which it doesn't.
AS A MATTER OF URGENCY, CAN YOU PLEASE:
- Contact your local council to find out whether or not they will allow ceremonies for civil partnerships (The Legal Services Department would be the relevant department)
- Contact your local councillor
The points you might like to your councillor are:
- to allow civil partnership registration also to have a ceremony equates it with heterosexual marriage, which it is not
- ask him/her about his/her opinion on the issue, and how he/she would vote
- it appears that a number of registrars are unhappy about the possibility of having to perform these ceremonies
Please do contact your councillor right away or you may be too late for the council meeting which makes the decision.
Thank you for your cooperation - please do pass this on to as many people as possible.
Yours
Bill Baird
Manager, CARE for Scotland
Challenge House
29 Canal Street
Glasgow G4 0AD
Tel 0141-332 7212
Fax 0141-332 8500
Mob 079 175 175 78
www.care.org.uk
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