A
BILL
TO
Make provision for husbands and civil partners of those receiving honours to
be allowed to use equivalent honorary titles to those available to women; and
for connected purposes.
Be it enacted by the Queen’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and
consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present
Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—
Any man who is, or who has been at any time (before or after the passing of
this Act) the husband of any woman who holds a title as a peer, baronetess or
5dame shall be entitled to use the courtesy title “The Honourable.”
Any person who is, or who has been at any time (before or after the passing of
this Act) the civil partner of any man or woman who holds a title as a peer,
10baronet, baronetess, knight or dame shall be entitled to use the courtesy title
“The Honourable”.
(1) In this Act—
(a)
references to a peer, baronet, baronetess, knight or dame are references
15to peerages and other titles conferred within the United Kingdom or of
any of its constituent parts or a title within the peerage of Ireland;
(b)
“husband” and “civil partner” refer to husbands or civil partners
recognised under the law of any part of the United Kingdom.
(2)
The entitlement conferred by this Act to use the title “The Honourable” is
20without prejudice to any existing custom or practice relating to the use of the
title “The Honourable”.
Honours (Equality of Titles for Partners) BillPage 2
(1) This Act may be cited as the Honours (Equality of Titles for Partners) Bill 2012.
(2)
This Act comes into force at the expiry of two months beginning on the day on
which it is passed.
(3) 5This Act extends to England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.