HL Deb 26 April 1977 vol 382 c399

25 Clause 9, page 7, leave out lines 32 to 36 and insert— '(1) A religious body, not being—

  1. (a) the Church of Scotland; or
  2. (b) prescribed by virtue of section 8(1)(a)(ii) of this Act,
may nominate to the Registrar General any of its members who it desires should be registered under this section as empowered to solemnise marriages:'

26 Clause 9, page 7, line 37, leave out first the ' and insert ' any such '.

3.24 p.m.

Lord KIRKHILL

My Lords, I beg to move that this House doth agree with the Commons in their Amendments Nos. 25 and 26. These are drafting Amendments. The reference in line 35 to "that body" was slightly ambiguous, as three categories of religious bodies had already been referred to in the subsection—namely, the nominating body, the Church of Scotland and a prescribed body. The Amendments remove the ambiguity and at the same time, as a necessary consequential to Amendment No. 24, omit the word "Established" before the reference to the Church of Scotland.

Moved, That this House doth agree with the Commons in the said Amendments.—(Lord Kirkhill.)

The Earl of SELKIRK

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord for improving the drafting, which I myself tabled. I am perfectly happy with the wording of this Amendment.

On Question, Motion agreed to.