As part of the Marriage Act, there a review has been launched today by the Government into whether to allow non-religious belief organisations, such as humanists, to perform marriage ceremonies in Wales and England.
The review would be made in line with Section 14 of the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013, which at present defines a belief organisation as ‘an organisation whose principal or sole purpose is the advancement of a system of non-religious beliefs which relate to morality or ethics’.
The consultation also seeks views on
- which non-religious belief organisations are capable of meeting the definition
- where, if allowed, such marriages would take place
- the provision of safeguards to deal with any resulting risks
- the equality impacts.
