Equality Bill [HL]

I reiterate in response to the remarks made by the noble Lord, Lord Lester, that a civil partnership is not—I underline not—a marriage. We keep using the word ““marriage”” in relation to civil partnerships; and they are not marriages. It is a civil contract. Nor should we assume that civil partnerships necessarily have any kind of active sexual component. I know of several couples who are intending to register partnerships, when that is possible, where there is no sexual content whatever in their relationship. It is too easy to assume, first, that we are talking about same-sex marriage—which we are not—and, secondly, that we are talking about active sexual relationships—which we are not. I want to draw a parallel, if it can be drawn, with those people who have undergone gender reassignment and present themselves for marriage in their new gender identity. As things stand at present, they have the right—and I rejoice that they do—to present themselves at their parish church for marriage, but there is a clause that suggests that the parish priest concerned can decline to officiate at that marriage if he or she finds it difficult to do so. The right to marry in the parish church remains, and the parish priest simply must find another person to officiate. I wonder whether that provides a possible comparison with subsection (b) in the amendment.