Miscellaneous

Detained persons29

1

If—

a

one of the parties to an intended marriage is detained in a prison or as a patient in a hospital, and

b

the marriage is to take place in that prison or hospital,

the marriage notice given by that party shall be accompanied by a statement to which paragraph (2) applies.

2

This paragraph applies to a statement which—

a

is made in the prescribed form by the responsible authority not more than 21 days before the date on which the marriage notice is given;

b

identifies the establishment where the person is detained; and

c

states that the responsible authority has no objection to the intended marriage taking place in that establishment.

3

In paragraph (2) “responsible authority” means—

a

if the person named in the statement is detained in a prison, the governor or other officer in charge of that prison;

b

if the person named in the statement is detained in a hospital or special accommodation, the Health and Social Services Board administering that hospital or the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, respectively;

c

if the person named in the statement is detained in a private hospital, the person in charge of that hospital.

4

After the registrar receives a marriage notice accompanied by a statement to which paragraph (2) applies, he shall notify the Registrar General and shall not complete a marriage schedule unless the Registrar General directs him to proceed under Article 7.

5

The Registrar General shall direct the registrar under Article 18(7) to solemnise the marriage at the prison or hospital specified in the direction.

6

In this Article—

a

“prison” includes a remand centre and a young offenders centre; and

b

“hospital, “patient”, “private hospital” and “special accommodation” have the same meanings as in the Mental Health (Northern Ireland) Order 1986 (NI 4).