The Civil Partnership (Scotland) Bill was introduced in the Scottish Parliament on 30 September 2019.
The purpose of this Bill is to allow different sex couples to enter a civil partnership. The Bill would remove the same sex requirement in the Civil Partnership Act 2004 to achieve this. It also makes changes to other legislation to carry through the effect of the main change.
Currently only same-sex couples can enter civil partnerships. This Bill follows a UK Supreme Court ruling which found the difference in treatment between same sex and different sex couples breaches human rights law.
Read the Bill and accompanying documents
Current Status of the Bill The Bill was introduced in the Scottish Parliament on 30 September and was designated to the Equalities and Human Rights Committee as lead committee on 8 October.
The Equalites and Human Rights Committee was designated the lead Committee for Stage 1 scrutiny on 8 October 2019.
The Committee published its Stage One report on 31 March 2020.
The Scottish Government issued their response to CPS stage 1 report on 28 April 2020
Response from Cabinet Secretary (294 KB pdf)
The Committee launched a call for views on 8 November 2019. The closing date for submissions is Friday 31 January 2020.
Read the call for views.
Summary of written evidence (180KB pdf)
Submissions recieved from:
Francis Roberts (116KB pdf) Michael Harley (68KB pdf) Michael Bauer (12KB pdf) Megan Dunn (32KB pdf) Prof. Kenneth Norrie (92 KB pdf) Joy Charnley (88KB pdf) Corrina Davies (76KB pdf) Karen Cameron (112KB pdf) Catriona Blake (96KB pdf) Humanist Society Scotland (176KB pdf) Nigel Cliffe (116KB pdf) David Stewart (48KB pdf) Frazer Graham (28KB pdf) Archana Goyal (16KB pdf) Faculty of Advocates (148KB pdf) Seonaid Cooke (12KB pdf) Sue Pertie (124KB pdf) Mary Campbell (64KB pdf) Marta Tomaszewska (116KB pdf) Scottish Secular Society (112KB pdf) Stonewall Scotland (140KB pdf) Louise Akroyd (116KB pdf) Eileen Cook (68KB pdf) The Scottish Unitarian Association (56KB pdf) The Equailty and Human Rights Commission (152KB pdf) Rebecca Wojturska (116KB pdf) Prof. Elaine Sutherland (160KB pdf) Engender (152KB pdf) Children in Scotland (232KB pdf) Suzanne Coyle (92KB pdf) Dr Kelly Kollman (128KB pdf) Equality Network (108KB pdf) Law Society of Scotland (122KB pdf) Beth Dunant and Daniel Forward (68KB pdf) Joanna Baker and Jan Thorskov (84KB pdf) Mr B and Miss L (228KB pdf) Mr B and Miss L (supplementary submission) (80KB pdf) Jaclyn Kaye (100KB pdf) Scottish Council of Jewish Communites (128KB pdf) Anonymous (60KB pdf) Anonymous (100KB pdf)
Engagement
From the 13 to 31 January we encouraged people around Scotland to share their views on our online platform ‘Your Priorities’. Users could leave video, audio and text comments of up to 750 characters.
Summary of engagement responses (264KB pdf)
Letter from Scottish Churches Parliamentary Office, 28 January 2020 (140KB pdf)
For further information on the work of the Committee you can contact the Clerks on 0131 348 6040 or by e-mail at: [email protected].