A Bill to make provision about the registration of marriages.
Originating House
House of Lords
Parliament last updated
19 September 2019
In Plain English
AI-generated
May contain errors — check source documents for definitive information.
The Registration of Marriage Bill aims to create a new, electronic system for recording marriage details in England and Wales, linked to the marriage ceremony process. It would let regulations change the 1949 Marriage Act to implement the system and extend it to include the Church in Wales, while updating older laws; a three-year sunset on new regulations is included. Debates in the Lords focused on whether same-sex marriages should be explicitly covered in the new system, but those amendments were withdrawn, and drafting changes were made to tighten the mechanism and ensure electronic access.
Key Points
- Establishes a central, electronic system for recording marriage details in England and Wales, connected to the marriage procedure.
- Government power to amend the Marriage Act 1949 by regulations to implement the new system, with changes applicable to the Church in Wales.
- Extends the registration framework to cover marriages conducted in the Church in Wales as part of the new system (broadening beyond purely civil marriages).
- Removes or alters provisions tied to the Marriage of British Subjects (Facilities) Acts 1915 and 1916 so they no longer apply in England and Wales; sets out consequential provisions linked to the regulations.
- Introduces a sunset: no regulations may be made under sections 1 or 3 after three years from the first regulations.
- Debates on including same-sex marriages in the new system were introduced as amendments but withdrawn; drafting changes were broadly accepted in Lords (notably by the Lord Bishop of St Albans).
Progress
The bill originated in the Lords and has completed Committee and Report stages there. It has reached the Commons (2nd reading stage) and is progressing through parliamentary scrutiny in that house. No final passage or votes are recorded here.
Who is affected?
People planning to marry in England and Wales (including couples within civil and religious ceremonies).Religious organisations and clergy, particularly the Church in Wales, given their involvement in marriage procedures.Civil registrars and local authorities responsible for recording marriages.Professionals and institutions interacting with marriage records and related procedures.
Generated 21 February 2026
Bill Stages
1st readingLords
29 Jun 2017
2nd readingLords
26 Jan 2018
Committee stageLords
29 Jun 2018
Report stageLords
17 Jul 2018
3rd readingLords
24 Jul 2018
1st readingCommons
4 Sept 2018
2nd readingCommons
Committee stageCommons
Report stageCommons
3rd readingCommons
Royal Assent
Amendments (17)
15 agreed2 withdrawn
Showing agreed, defeated, and withdrawn amendments.
Updates & Documents
News (1)
News - Registration of Marriage
1 Jan 1970
The Bill failed to complete its passage through Parliament before the end of the session. This means the Bill will make no further progress.
