[F194APersons who may register civil partnershipsS
(1)A civil partnership may be registered by and only by—
(a)a person who is—
(i)a celebrant of a religious or belief body prescribed by regulations made by the Scottish Ministers, or who, not being a celebrant, is recognised by a religious or belief body so prescribed as entitled to register civil partnerships on its behalf,
(ii)registered under section 94B, or
(iii)temporarily authorised under section 94E, or
(b)a person who is a district registrar or assistant registrar appointed under section 87.
(2)The Scottish Ministers may prescribe a religious or belief body under subsection (1)(a)(i) only if—
(a)the body requests them to do so, and
(b)the Scottish Ministers are satisfied that the body meets the qualifying requirements.
(3)For the avoidance of doubt, nothing in subsection (1)(a) or (2)(a)—
(a)imposes a duty on any religious or belief body to make a request referred to in subsection (2)(a),
(b)imposes a duty on any such body to nominate under section 94B any of its members to be registered as empowered to register civil partnerships,
(c)imposes a duty on any person to apply for temporary authorisation under section 94E to register civil partnerships,
(d)imposes a duty on any person who is an approved celebrant in relation to civil partnerships to register civil partnerships.
(4)In this Part—
(a)any such person as is mentioned in subsection (1)(a) is referred to as an “approved celebrant”,
(b)a civil partnership registered by an approved celebrant is referred to as a “religious or belief civil partnership”,
(c)a civil partnership registered by an authorised registrar is referred to as a “civil registration”.
(5)In subsection (2)(b), the “qualifying requirements” are such requirements as may be set out in regulations made by the Scottish Ministers.]
Textual Amendments
F1Ss. 94A-94E inserted (1.9.2014 for specified purposes, 16.12.2014 in so far as not already in force for the insertion of ss. 94A(1)(2)(a)(3)(4), 94B(1)(2)(a)-(c)(4)-(11), 94C, 94D, 94E(1)(3)(5) and otherwise prosp.) by Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Act 2014 (asp 5), ss. 24(13), 36; S.S.I. 2014/212, art. 2, sch. (as amended (1.9.2014) by S.S.I. 2014/218, art. 2(3), sch.); S.S.I. 2014/287, art. 3, sch.
Modifications etc. (not altering text)
C1S. 94A modified (1.3.2015) by The Referral and Investigation of Proposed Marriages and Civil Partnerships (Scotland) Order 2015 (S.I. 2015/396), art. 1(2), Sch. 3 para. 6 (with art. 1(3))