UK Civil Partnership Bill 2004
Introduction
This section contains the following information on the UK's Civil Partnership Bill:.
- Introduction
- Tories Attempt to Destroy The Civil Partnership Bill
- What Happens Now
- Make Your Voice Heard
- Chronological story of events
For more detailed information on how the Civil Partnership Bill affects your finances, Call us now freephone on 0800 074 6918
1. Introduction
Civil Partnership - The UK's ground-breaking Civil Partnership Bill was introduced into the House of Lords on 30 March 2004 and was published on 31 March 2004.
According to the Government's " Women & Equality Unit " website:
" The Civil Partnership Bill creates a new legal status that would allow adult same-sex couples to gain formal recognition of their relationship. Same-sex couples who enter a civil partnership would access a wide range of rights and responsibilities reflecting the important commitment they are making to one other.
The Bill addresses many of the injustices that same-sex couples people face because they are unable to secure legal recognition of their relationships. Provisions in the Bill include both rights and responsibilities for example:
- Duty to provide reasonable maintenance for your civil partner
- Duty to provide reasonable maintenance for children of the family
- Civil partners to be assessed in the same way as spouses for child support
- Equitable treatment for the purposes of life assurance
- Employment and pension benefits
- Recognition under intestacy rules
- Access to fatal accidents compensation
- Protection from domestic violence
- Recognition for immigration and nationality purposes.
Download the FULL Civil Partnership Bill from the UK Parliament's website HERE .
2. Tories attempt to Destroy the Civil Partnership Bill
On 24 June 2004, Conservative peer Baroness O'Cathain proposed an amendment to the Civil Partnership Bill which was supported by the House of Lords. The amendment would extend the Bill to cover all carers and family members living in the same property. The effect of this amendment would be to make the context of the Bill and its legal provisions vastly different from those intended, and would, in effect, Destroy the Bill.
3. Civil Partnership Bill - What Happens Next
Despite the Tories' "amendment" which passed on 24 June 2004, the Bill is still progressing through the usual Parliamentary system, having completed its Committee and Report Stages and having passed its third reading in the House of Lords on 1 July 2004.
The Bill is currently in the House Of Commons, and the Minister responsible for the Bill, Jacqui Smith announced at a pre-Pride reception that the Government "... will forge ahead with the Bill and we will return to the Lords to fight again."
The Civil Partnership Bill page on the UK's Parliament website allows you to keep track of the Bill, marked with accepted Amendments.
The Bill is still expected to be debated in the House of Commons later in the summer of 2004 with a targeted Royal Assent for the end of the year. It has been clearly stated that it will be a further 12 months, at least, before the first registration of partners will be able to take place - i.e. not before the end of 2005.
4. Make your voice heard
The UK's Civil Partnership Bill, despite being a major step forward in rights for gay men, lesbians and same-sex couples, does not offer complete equality.
Minister for Equality - Rt. Hon Jacqui Smith MP
Address: Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, 26 Whitehall, London, SW1A 2WH
Shadow Home Secretary - Rt. Hon Oliver Letwin MP
Address: House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA
Write to your own MP
Write to Baroness O'Cathain, the Conservative Peer who proposed the "wrecking amendment": Baroness O'Cathain, Address: House of Lords, London, SW1A 0PW
Write to Lord Tebbit, the Conservative Peer who supported the Tory "wrecking amendment": Lord Tebbit, Address: House of Lords, London, SW1A 0PW
5. Chronological story of events
31 March 2004 - the Civil Partnership Bill is published.
26 November 2003, the Queen announces the Government's intention to publish a Civil Partnerships Bill, at the State Opening of Parliament.
November 2003 - UK Government publish the results of the Civil Partnership Consultation Process. To view the report click HERE (the report is a 1.3MB PDF file).
30 September 2003, the Scottish Executive published a consultation paper on the devolved aspects of a civil partnership registration scheme for same-sex couples, " Civil Partnership Registration. A legal status for committed same-sex couples in Scotland ".
30 June 2003 Barbara Roche's successor, Jacqui Smith, Minister for Women & Equality, published the Civil Partnership Proposals for same-sex couples.
December 2002 Barbara Roche, MP - Minister for Social Exclusion & Equality , announced that the UK Government would look at proposals for "civil partnership rights".
25 January 2002 - A Civil Partnerships Bill, supported by Stonewall and the Odysseus Trust , was given a second reading in the House Of Lords. The decision was taken not to take the Bill further in order to give the Government the opportunity to conduct an inter-departmental review in relation to civil partnerships and formulate its position on the proposed civil partnership registration scheme .
For more detailed information on how the Civil Partnership Bill affects your finances, call us now freephone on 0800 074 6918.
Call us now freephone on 0800 074 6918
Please Note:
The information on this page is based on that provided by www.gayfinance.info - independent financial advisers serving the UK 's gay and lesbian community for over 10 years. Gayfinance.info do not offer debt or insolvency advice but are specialists in providing personal financial advice on life insurance, pensions, investments and tax.
For further information visit the www.gayfinance.info website or call on 08000 1960 69.
