Overview

This bill amends the Marriage Act 1949 to allow certain non-religious belief organisations to conduct marriages. The British Humanist Association is automatically included, and the Secretary of State can add others through regulations.

Description

The bill inserts a new section (47A) into the Marriage Act 1949. This section allows "authorised belief organisations" to officiate at marriages, but specifically prohibits the use of religious services. The British Humanist Association is automatically designated as an authorised organisation. The Secretary of State can authorise additional organisations via statutory instrument, requiring parliamentary approval of a draft. Authorised organisations must designate a principal officer to appoint registering officers, who will need to be certified by the Registrar General. Marriages must take place with open doors, in the presence of a registrar or an appointed registering officer and two witnesses. A certificate confirming at least one person's membership in the organisation is required before the marriage can be solemnised. The bill also makes numerous consequential amendments to the Marriage Act 1949 to accommodate these changes, including changes to marriage registration procedures.

Government Spending

The bill's impact on government spending is not explicitly stated. However, there will likely be administrative costs associated with overseeing the authorisation process, managing the certification of registering officers, and potential updates to government IT systems for marriage registration.

Groups Affected

• The British Humanist Association: Gains the ability to solemnise marriages.
• Other belief organisations: Potentially gain the ability to solemnise marriages if authorised by the Secretary of State.
• Couples: Gain an additional option for where and how they can get married, with a non-religious civil ceremony.
• Registrars and registering officers: New roles and responsibilities related to the registration and oversight of marriages conducted by authorised belief organisations.
• Government agencies: Increased administrative workload related to regulation and oversight.

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