Civil Partnerships on Religious Premises

Yesterday was the deadline for submissions to the Government's Equality Office on the consultation paper on civil partnerships on religious premises.

The General Assembly has submitted a detailed response to the list of questions. The focus is on implementation not the principles.

We supported the legislative change in the Equality Act 2010 allowing for registration and the subsequent publication of the consultation document.

There are serious concerns about the levels of fees that may be required and some of the practical details.

I have been pleased to work with other like-minded organisations, such as the Quakers, Trades Union Congress and Stonewall, in discussing our different approaches and then sharing copies of responses. We didn't always agree but the dialogue was important and I am sure we can build upon it as implementation proceeds.