We’re another step closer to same-sex marriages being a reality in England and Wales as the government today published its response to the consultation paper ‘The Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013: Shared Buildings Regulations’, which sought views on the procedures for registering for marriages of same sex couples religious buildings that are shared by more than one religious organisation.
A revised draft of the Marriage of Same Sex Couples (Registration of Shared Buildings) Regulations 2014 will be produced for consideration by Parliament in debates in both the House of Commons and the House of Lords. It is intended that the regulations will come into force in the early part of 2014 so that shared buildings can be registered to solemnize marriages of same sex couples if the qualifying sharing religious groups agree.
The response document reflecting over 70 responses is available here. The regulations will apply to England and Wales, though it is likely the Scottish government will implement something similar soon.
