§ Mr. WATTasked the Lord Advocate whether he is aware that registrars in England have greater power in celebrating marriages than have registrars in Scotland; that, in the latter country, the expense of drawing out a declaration of marriage and of a petition to the sheriff to warrant the registration is necessary, besides attendance before the sheriff with witnesses, whereas in England all these 2005 forms are unnecessary; and, if so, will he take steps to remedy this inequality?
§ Mr. UREIt is, of course, the case, as my hon. Friend points out, that there is not in Scotland the same provision for regular Civil marriages as in England, the method provided by law for regularising an irregular marriage being as stated in the question. I am not aware of any general desire to assimilate the marriage laws of the two countries in the respect referred to, and the facilities for marriages in Scotland, considered as a whole, are certainly not less than in England.
§ Mr. WATTMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether it is the case that the sheriffs are an overworked body in Scotland, and that their overwork is to the detriment of the trading community?