HC Deb 10 March 1998 vol 308 cc127-8W
Mr. McNulty

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans she has to review the civil law on the preliminaries to and the celebration of marriage. [34008]

Marjorie Mowlam

Existing Northern Ireland civil law on the preliminaries to and the celebration of marriage is based on nineteenth century legislation and is complex to administer. This, together with recent changes in the law in England and Wales and consultation on possible change in Scotland indicates a need to consider reform here. Accordingly, I have asked the Law Reform Advisory Committee, whose role is to keep the civil law of Northern Ireland under review, to examine the subject and to bring forward proposals as appropriate.