Part 2Civil partnership: England and Wales

Chapter 1Registration

Registration procedure: general

F16APower to approve premises

(1)

The F2Secretary of State may by regulations make provision for and in connection with the approval by registration authorities of premises for the purposes of section 6(3A)(a).

(2)

The matters dealt with by regulations may include—

(a)

the kind of premises in respect of which approvals may be granted;

(b)

the procedure to be followed in relation to applications for approval;

(c)

the considerations to be taken into account by a registration authority in determining whether to approve any premises;

(d)

the duration and renewal of approvals;

(e)

the conditions that must or may be imposed by a registration authority on granting or renewing an approval;

(f)

the determination and charging by registration authorities of fees in respect of applications for the approval of premises and in respect of the renewal of approvals;

(g)

the circumstances in which a registration authority must or may revoke an approval;

(h)

the review of any decision to refuse an approval or the renewal of an approval, to impose conditions on granting or renewing an approval or to revoke an approval;

(i)

the notification to the Registrar General of all approvals granted, renewed or revoked;

(j)

the keeping by registration authorities of registers of approved premises;

(k)

the issue by the Registrar General of guidance supplementing the provision made by the regulations.

F3(2A)

Regulations under this section may provide that premises approved for the registration of civil partnerships may differ from those premises approved for the registration of civil marriages.

(2B)

Provision by virtue of subsection (2)(b) may, in particular, provide that applications for approval of premises may only be made with the consent (whether general or specific) of a person specified, or a person of a description specified, in the provision.

(2C)

The power conferred by section 258(2), in its application to the power conferred by this section, includes in particular—

(a)

power to make provision in relation to religious premises that differs from provision in relation to other premises;

(b)

power to make different provision for different kinds of religious premises.

(3)

Without prejudice to the width of subsection (2)(e), the F4Secretary of State must exercise his power to provide for the imposition of conditions as mentioned there so as to secure that members of the public are permitted to attend when two people sign the civil partnership schedule on approved premises in accordance with section 6(3A)(a).

F5(3B)

“Civil marriage” means marriage solemnised otherwise than according to the rites of the Church of England or any other religious usages.

(3C)

“Religious premises” means premises which—

(a)

are used solely or mainly for religious purposes, or

(b)

have been so used and have not subsequently been used solely or mainly for other purposes.