Part 3Civil partnership: Scotland

Chapter 2Registration

C194AF1Persons who may register civil partnerships

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.