§ Mr. Wallasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will take action to legalise marriages legally contracted by Rhodesian law.
§ Mr. KershawNo action is required to legalise those marriage ceremonies performed by marriage officers who were duly appointed before the illegal declaration of independence and were acting in accordance with the law of Southern Rhodesia, since they would be recognised as valid under English law.
With regard to those cases in which there may be a doubt as to the validity under Southern Rhodesian law of a marriage ceremony performed in Rhodesia, and which, as a consequence, may not be regarded as valid in this country, I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to him by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State on 15th March.—[Vol. 813, c. 208.]