House of Commons portcullis
House of Commons
Session 2002 - 03
Internet Publications
Other Bills before Parliament

Civil Partnership Bill [HL]


 

Civil Partnership Bill [HL]

 
 

The Bill is divided into two volumes. Volume I contains the Clauses.

Volume II contains the Schedules to the Bill.

EXPLANATORY NOTES

Explanatory notes to the Bill, prepared by the Department of Trade and Industry, are

published separately as Bill 132—EN.

EUROPEAN CONVENTION ON HUMAN RIGHTS

Ms Secretary Hewitt has made the following statement under section 19(1)(b) of the

Human Rights Act 1998:

I am unable (but only because of clause 2, Schedule 1 and related provisions) to make

a statement that, in my view, the provisions of the Civil Partnership Bill [HL] are

compatible with the Convention rights.

However, the Government nevertheless wishes the House to proceed with the Civil

Partnership Bill [HL].

 
Bill 13253/3
 
 

 

Civil Partnership Bill [HL]

 

 
 

The Bill is divided into two Volumes. Volume I contains the Clauses. Volume II

contains the Schedules to the Bill.

Contents

Part 1

Introduction

1   

Civil partnership

2   

Categories of civil partners other than same sex couples

Part 2

Civil partnership: England and Wales

Chapter 1

Registration

Formation, eligibility and parental etc. consent

3   

Formation of civil partnership by registration

4   

Eligibility

5   

Parental etc. consent where proposed civil partner under 18

Registration procedure: general

6   

Types of pre-registration procedure

7   

Place of registration

8   

The civil partnership document

The standard procedure

9   

Notice of proposed civil partnership and declaration

10   

Power to require evidence of name etc.

11   

Proposed civil partnership to be publicised

12   

Meaning of “the waiting period”

13   

Power to shorten the waiting period

14   

Objection to proposed civil partnership

15   

Issue of civil partnership schedule

16   

Appeal against refusal to issue civil partnership schedule

17   

Frivolous objections and representations: liability for costs etc.

 
Bill 13253/3
 
 

Civil Partnership Bill [HL]

iv

 

18   

Period during which registration may take place

The procedures for house-bound and detained persons

19   

House-bound persons

20   

Detained persons

Modified procedures for certain non-residents

21   

Modified procedures for certain non-residents

The special procedure

22   

Notice of proposed civil partnership

23   

Evidence to be produced

24   

Application to be reported to Registrar General

25   

Objection to issue of Registrar General’s licence

26   

Issue of Registrar General’s licence

27   

Frivolous objections: liability for costs

28   

Period during which registration may take place

Supplementary

29   

Registration authorities

30   

Civil partnership registrars

31   

The Registrar General and the register

32   

Offences relating to civil partnership schedule

33   

Offences relating to Registrar General’s licence

34   

Offences relating to the recording of civil partnerships

35   

Fees

36   

Regulations and orders

Chapter 2

Dissolution, nullity and other proceedings

Introduction

37   

Powers to make orders and effect of orders

38   

The period before conditional orders may be made final

39   

Intervention of the Queen’s Proctor

40   

Proceedings before order has been made final

41   

Time bar on applications for dissolution orders

42   

Attempts at reconciliation of civil partners

43   

Consideration by the court of certain agreements or arrangements

Dissolution of civil partnership

44   

Dissolution of civil partnership which has broken down irretrievably

45   

Supplemental provisions as to facts raising presumption of breakdown

46   

Dissolution order not precluded by previous separation order etc.

47   

Refusal of dissolution in 5 year separation cases on grounds of grave hardship

48   

Proceedings before order made final: protection for respondent in separation

cases

 
 

Civil Partnership Bill [HL]

v

 

Nullity

49   

Grounds on which civil partnership is void

50   

Grounds on which civil partnership is voidable

51   

Bars to relief where civil partnership is voidable

52   

Proof of certain matters not necessary to validity of civil partnership

53   

Power to validate civil partnership

54   

Validity of civil partnerships registered outside England and Wales

Presumption of death orders

55   

Presumption of death orders

Separation orders

56   

Separation orders

57   

Effect of separation order

Declarations

58   

Declarations

59   

General provisions as to making and effect of declarations

60   

The Attorney General and proceedings for declarations

61   

Supplementary provisions as to declarations

General provisions

62   

Relief for respondent in dissolution proceedings

63   

Restrictions on making of orders affecting children

64   

Parties to proceedings under this Chapter

Chapter 3

Property and financial arrangements

65   

Contribution by civil partner to property improvement

66   

Disputes between civil partners about property

67   

Applications under section 66 where property not in possession etc.

68   

Actions in tort between civil partners

69   

Assurance policy by civil partner for benefit of other civil partner etc.

70   

Wills, administration of estates and family provision

71   

Financial relief for civil partners and children of family

Chapter 4

Civil partnership agreements

72   

Civil partnership agreements unenforceable

73   

Property where civil partnership agreement is terminated

Chapter 5

Children

74   

Parental responsibility, children of the family and relatives

 
 

Civil Partnership Bill [HL]

vi

 

75   

Guardianship

76   

Entitlement to apply for residence or contact order

77   

Financial provision for children

78   

Adoption

Chapter 6

Miscellaneous

79   

False statements etc. with reference to civil partnerships

80   

Housing and tenancies

81   

Family homes and domestic violence

82   

Fatal accidents claims

Part 3

Civil partnership: Scotland

Chapter 1

Formation and eligibility

83   

Formation of civil partnership by registration

84   

Eligibility

Chapter 2

Registration

85   

Appointment of authorised registrars

86   

Notice of proposed civil partnership

87   

Civil partnership notice book

88   

Publicisation

89   

Early registration

90   

Objections to registration

91   

Place of registration

92   

The civil partnership schedule

93   

Further provision as to registration

94   

Civil partnership with former spouse

95   

Certificates of no impediment for Part 2 purposes

96   

Application of certain sections of 1965 Act to civil partnership register

97   

Correction of errors in civil partnership register

98   

Offences

Chapter 3

Occupancy rights and tenancies

Occupancy rights

99   

Occupancy rights

100   

Occupancy: subsidiary and consequential rights

101   

Regulation by court of rights of occupancy of family home

102   

Exclusion orders

 
 

Civil Partnership Bill [HL]

vii

 

103   

Duration of orders under sections 101 and 102

104   

Continued exercise of occupancy rights after dealing

105   

Dispensation with civil partner’s consent to dealing

106   

Interests of heritable creditors

107   

Provisions where both civil partners have title

108   

Rights of occupancy in relation to division and sale

109   

Adjudication

Transfer of tenancy

110   

Transfer of tenancy

Chapter 4

Interdicts

111   

Civil partners: competency of interdict

112   

Attachment of powers of arrest to relevant interdicts

113   

Police powers after arrest

114   

Procedure after arrest

Chapter 5

Dissolution, separation and nullity

Dissolution and separation

115   

Dissolution

116   

Encouragement of reconciliation

117   

Effect of resumption of cohabitation

118   

Dissolution following on decree of separation

119   

Registration of dissolution of civil partnership

Nullity

120   

Nullity

121   

Validity of civil partnerships registered outside Scotland

Financial provision after overseas proceedings

122   

Financial provision after overseas dissolution or annulment

Chapter 6

Miscellaneous and interpretation

Miscellaneous

123   

Regulations

124   

Attachment

125   

Promise or agreement to enter into civil partnership

126   

Lord Advocate as party to action for nullity or dissolution of civil partnership

127   

Civil partner of accused a competent witness

128   

Assurance policies

 
 

Civil Partnership Bill [HL]

viii

 

129   

Council Tax: liability of civil partners

130   

General provisions as to fees

Interpretation

131   

Interpretation of this Part

132   

The expression “relative” in the 1965 Act

Part 4

Civil partnership: Northern Ireland

Chapter 1

Registration

Formation and eligibility

133   

Formation of civil partnership by registration

134   

Eligibility

Preliminaries to registration

135   

Notice of proposed civil partnership

136   

Civil partnership notice book and list of intended civil partnerships

137   

Power to require evidence of name etc.

138   

Objections

139   

Civil partnership schedule

140   

Place of registration

Young persons

141   

Parental etc. consent where proposed civil partner under 18

Supplementary

142   

Validity of registration

143   

Corrections and cancellations

144   

Interpreters

145   

Detained persons

146   

Certificates of no impediment for Part 2 purposes

147   

Registration districts and registration authorities

148   

Registrars and other staff

149   

Records and documents to be sent to Registrar General

150   

Annual report

151   

Searches

152   

Proof of civil partnership for purposes of certain statutory provisions

153   

Fees

154   

Offences

155   

Regulations

156   

Interpretation

 
 

 
contents continue
 
House of Commons home page Houses of Parliament home page House of Lords home page search page enquiries

© Parliamentary copyright 2004
Revised 7 July 2004