Civil Partnership (Amendments to Registration Provisions) Order 2005

I thank the Minister for his comprehensive introduction of the civil partnership order. We have no problems with it. Perhaps I can draw the Minister’s attention to a possible efficiency saving in the public sector. He may have noticed throughout the afternoon that approximately half the Department for Work and Pensions has been supporting the Minister on the various orders, with at least four in the box behind him and sometimes more in the seats at the other end. Of course, the Treasury has produced only two, which is very economical. Perhaps the Minister would like to discuss with Sir   Peter Gershon a new way of achieving efficiency in the public sector. That is offered in the spirit of generosity and constructiveness. As I said, we have no fundamental problem with the order but I should like to return to the issue of the reform of marriage. The order is in the form it is because the Government have failed to achieve their ambitions to reform marriage law as they desired. When the Financial Secretary issued a Written Statement on 1 March he said:"““I am actively looking for ways of delivering the key elements of civil registration modernisation and will be working with stakeholders over the coming months to agree a way forward. I will seek parliamentary approval at appropriate times””.—[Official Report, Commons, 1/3/05; col. WS77.]" whatever that means. I think I heard the Minister say that there was absolutely no prospect of legislative change. Perhaps he will comment on the current position of the Government’s reform programme.