The Marriage and Civil Partnership (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2020

PART 4 Other Amendments of Legislation

Discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation

14.—(1) In the Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006(1), in regulation 16 (exceptions from liability: organisations relating to religion or belief)—

(a) in paragraph (5) (purposes for which restrictions may be imposed), before the “or” at the end of sub-paragraph (b) insert—

“(ba) in connection with the solemnisation of a marriage;”, and

(b) in paragraph (5A)(a) (acts which would be unlawful but for paragraph (5)(c)), for “(5)(c)” substitute “(5)(ba) or (c)”.

(2) In the Sex Discrimination (Northern Ireland) Order 1976(2)—

(a) in Article 21(3) (requirements which can be imposed in relation to employment for religious purposes without being unlawful sex discrimination), omit sub-paragraphs (ca) and (cb) (requirements related to sexual orientation of employee), and

(b) omit Article 35A (religious organisation, or person acting on its behalf, not liable for unlawful sex discrimination where event to mark formation of a relationship is not provided because of the sex of either or each of the parties).

(3) In consequence of paragraph (2), omit regulation 133 of the 2019 Regulations.

Form of marriage notices

15.  In Schedule 1 to the Marriage Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003(3) (form of marriage notice)—

(a) in paragraph 32(ii) (declaration of intention to be married on date entered in Part A), for “and by the officiant named at Part E” substitute “/* and by the officiant/celebrant named at Part E or Part F”, and

(b) after the Note (about supplying false information etc) which follows paragraph 32, insert (as a footnote)—

“* delete as appropriate”.

Minor amendment

16.—(1) In regulation 2(1) of the Regulation and Improvement Authority (Registration) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005(4) (interpretation), in the definition of “relative”—

(a) in paragraph (c), after “spouse” insert “or civil partner”, and

(b) for the words from “references” to the end substitute “references to “spouse or civil partner”, in relation to any person, include a former spouse or former civil partner and a person who is living with the person as if they were spouses of each other;”.

(2) In consequence of paragraph (1)(b), omit regulation 159(2)(c) of the 2019 Regulations.

(1)

S.R. 2006/439. Regulation 16 was amended by regulation 5 of S.R. 2007/261 and by regulation 163 of S.I. 2019/1514.

(2)

S.I. 1976/1042 (N.I. 15). Articles 21(3)(ca) and (cb) and 35A were inserted by regulation 133 of S.I. 2019/1514.

(3)

S.R.2003/468. Schedule 1 was substituted by S.R. 2005/532, and amended by S.R. 2014/296 and S.I. 2019/1514. In particular, paragraph 32 (formerly paragraph 30) was re-numbered and amended by regulation 15(2) of S.I. 2019/1514.

(4)

S.R. 2005/99. In regulation 2(1), the definition of “relative” was amended by regulation 159 of S.I. 2019/1514.