§ 51. Mr. Bishopasked the Attorney-General if he is aware of the anomaly that some husbands of marriages contracted overseas whilst still resident here are seeking to divorce their wives in ways not acceptable to those married in the United Kingdom; how many applications were made in the past years to superintendent registrars for leave to remarry after declarations of divorce according to overseas rites; and what action he proposes to end such divorce law and legal domicile anomalies.
§ The Attorney-GeneralThere are approximately 150 applications a year for marriage licences following divorces obtained in the United Kingdom under procedures other than proceedings for dissolution of marriage before the ordinary courts. The place of the original marriage and the country of the residence of the parties are not conclusively relevant. The recognition of foreign divorces generally is the subject of the Hague Convention and of the Bill now before the House (Recognition of Divorces and Legal Separations Bill) which is designed to give effect to that432W Convention and to the recommendations of the Law Commission relating to foreign divorces. The Law Commission's advice is also being sought on the issue which the hon. Member has in mind.