Today in the House of Commons Vice-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Humanist Group Siân Berry MP called on the UK Government to legally recognise humanist marriages without delay. Alex Davies-Jones MP, Under-Secretary of State for Justice, signalled her strong personal support for legal recognition but said the Government will set out its position on weddings reform in due course. Humanists UK has long called on the Government to use its powers to grant legal recognition to humanist marriages even in the interim while the Government undertakes wider marriage reform.
During justice questions, Siân Berry MP asked the Government if she will take steps to allow humanist celebrants to conduct legally binding weddings and further asked them to lay the Order to grant legal recognition to humanist marriages without delay.
Alex Davies-Jones MP, Under-Secretary of State for Justice replied ‘no one is more excited than me to don a hat for the first legally binding humanist wedding’ but reiterated the Government’s position that it needs to consider marriage law in the round and will set out its position in due course. She said that Ms Berry will ‘have to wait just a little bit longer’.
Chair of the Justice Select Committee Andy Slaughter MP also pressed the minister for a timeline of when the Government will set out its position on marriage reform including on humanist marriages and was informed it would be coming ‘shortly’. This followed the Justice Committee previously pressing the Government to act in January of this year.
Today’s question on humanist marriages took place ahead of more parliamentary action, with a Commons debate on the subject scheduled to take place on 12 June, and a further oral question on legal recognition happening in the House of Lords on 30 June.
Humanists UK Director of Public Affairs and Policy Richy Thompson commented:
‘We welcome the Minister’s comments that she looks forward to the first legally recognised humanist wedding. This anticipation is shared by humanist couples up and down the country who have already waited over a decade for the Government to act so that they can get married in line with their beliefs.
‘That is why we are urging the Government to use its existing powers to lay the Order and grant legal recognition to humanist marriages in England and Wales now and without delay.’
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For further comment or information, media should contact Humanists UK Director of Public Affairs and Policy Richy Thompson at press@humanists.uk or phone 0203 675 0959.
Read more about our work on legal recognition of humanist marriages.
Watch the parliamentary question.
Humanist weddings are non-religious wedding ceremonies that are fully customised to match the deepest-held values and beliefs of the couple getting married. They are conducted by a humanist celebrant, someone guaranteed to share their beliefs. In consultation with the couple the celebrant produces a completely bespoke script. The ceremony also occurs in whatever location is most meaningful for the couple. Humanists UK has more than 300 trained and accredited wedding celebrants.
Humanist marriages gained legal recognition in Scotland in 2005 and in 2019 there were more humanist than Christian marriages for the first time. In the Republic of Ireland, humanist marriages gained legal recognition in 2012. They gained legal recognition in Northern Ireland in 2018, following a Court of Appeal ruling that concluded that a failure to do so would be a breach of human rights. Jersey also gave legal recognition to humanist marriages in 2019 and in 2021 Guernsey followed suit.
Legal recognition in England and Wales has been under constant Government review since 2013. The Marriage Act gave the Government the power to enact legal recognition of humanist marriages without needing a new Act. But in the years since, the Government has not done this. Instead the matter has been reviewed three times, most recently by the Law Commission, who published their report in July 2022. The previous Government did not issue its response before the General Election was called.
Humanists UK is the national charity working on behalf of non-religious people. Powered by over 130,000 members and supporters, we advance free thinking and promote humanism to create a tolerant society where rational thinking and kindness prevail. We provide ceremonies, pastoral care, education, and support services benefitting over a million people every year and our campaigns advance humanist thinking on ethical issues, human rights, and equal treatment for all.