§ Lord James Douglas-Hamiltonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will refer the recommendation for reform of the Marriage Law from the Scottish Council of Churches to the Scottish Law Commission.
§ Mr. William RossI see no need to do so. Recognition of religious marriages celebrated by Muslims and Sikhs, for which the Scottish Churches' Council has pressed, was one aspect of the law on marriage in Scotland on which the Kilbrandon Committee reported in 1969. The Committee recommended recognition of these marriages, subject to introducing certain safeguards with which, I understand, the Scottish Churches' Council agrees. This recommendation can best be implemented as part of comprehensive marriage legislation arising from the Committee's report, but I cannot say when it will be possible to find parliamentary time for this legislation.