Future of civil partnership comes under review

Civil partnership could cease to be an option for same sex couples in Scotland, under proposals put out to consultation by the Scottish Government today.

Ministers are currently against extending the option to opposite sex couples, though they invite views on this.

The consultation takes forward the review of civil partnership in Scotland, promised during the passage of the bill that allowed same sex marriages to take place.

Figures published by National Records of Scotland show that in quarter 2 of 2015, there were only eight civil partnerships, 121 fewer than during the second quarter of 2014, whereas there were 427 same sex marriages (236 of these being changes from civil partnership to marriage). There were 7,760 opposite sex marriages.

The three options put forward are no change, so that civil partnership would remain available for same sex couples only; stopping new civil partnerships being registered at some date in the future; or introducing opposite sex civil partnership in Scotland.

As outlined in the paper, the Government is not persuaded that opposite sex civil partnership should be introduced in Scotland. It believes that demand would be low; there would be costs; and opposite sex couples seeking to enter into a registered relationship have the option of marrying.

Ministers do not have a view at this stage on which of the other two options should be followed.

Those in existing civil partnerships will be able to remain in their civil partnerships if they wish and these will continue to be recognised. There will be no obligation on these couples to change their civil partnerships to marriage if they do not wish to do so. 

Minister for Local Government and Community Empowerment Marco Biagi said: “We remain open to hearing all views on the options set out in the consultation but, after careful consideration of this issue, we are not persuaded of the case for the establishment of opposite sex civil partnership in Scotland."

Click here to view the consultation. Responses are invited by 15 December 2015.