Overview

The Registration of Marriage Bill aims to modernize and simplify the process of registering marriages in England and Wales. It grants the Secretary of State and Registrar General powers to create regulations streamlining marriage registration procedures, including the documentation involved and record-keeping.

Description

This bill allows the Secretary of State to create regulations concerning marriage registration in England and Wales. These regulations can modify existing laws, specifically the Marriage Act 1949. Key changes include:

• Streamlining Documentation: Replacing the need for two superintendent registrar certificates with a single marriage schedule for Part 3 marriages (marriages conducted under certain circumstances detailed in the 1949 Act).
• Clergy Documentation: Requiring clergy to issue, or ensure the issuing of, a "marriage document" before registering a marriage authorized by ecclesiastical preliminaries.
• Regulation of Document Handling: Setting regulations for the signing, delivery, and storage of marriage schedules and documents, and the keeping of pre-commencement marriage register books.
• Centralized Register: Requiring the Registrar General to maintain a central register of marriages (the marriage register).
• Offenses: Creating an offense for failure to comply with regulations regarding document delivery.
• Registrar General's Powers: Granting the Registrar General the power to make further regulations on document formatting, corrections, and record-keeping, subject to the Secretary of State's approval.

Government Spending

The bill doesn't directly specify government spending. The costs will likely involve updating administrative systems for marriage registration, training staff on new procedures, and potentially creating and maintaining the centralized marriage register. No specific figures are provided in the bill text.

Groups Affected

• Couples getting married: Will experience a potentially simpler marriage registration process.
• Clergy: Will be required to follow new procedures for issuing marriage documentation.
• Registrars: Will have modified responsibilities in handling marriage documents and records.
• Registrar General: Will have increased responsibilities in maintaining a central register and overseeing new regulations.
• Government agencies: Will need to adapt their systems and processes to comply with the new regulations.

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