Marriage (Approved Organisations) Bill [HL]

Key Points

• Creates a framework for approving belief organisations to solemnise marriages.
• Requires approved organisations to appoint authorised persons to conduct ceremonies, with defined duties and standards.
• Introduces safeguarding and equality protections to ensure couples’ rights are protected under the new arrangements.
• Maintains the civil registration system, with proper record‑keeping and oversight of authorised marriages.
• Provides for the revocation of approval and enforcement if organisations or individuals do not comply.

Progress

The bill is currently at Second Reading in the House of Lords and is at the early stage of passage; if it progresses, it would move to committee scrutiny and then to the House of Commons.