§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if the Lord Chancellor will take steps to change the law on the registration of deaths to ensure equality of treatment as between married and unmarried couples. [11961]
§ Ruth KellyI have been asked to reply.
In 1998, the then Economic Secretary to the Treasury commissioned the Registrar-General to carry out a fundamental review of the civil registration service in England and Wales. This was in recognition of the fact that much of the civil registration system is outdated and does not meet the needs of today's society.
In September 1999, the Registrar-General published a consultation paper, 'Registration: Modernising a Vital Service'. The consultation period ended on 6 December 77W 1999. The responses have been used to set out options for the future development of the registration service, so that it can adapt to the changing needs and attitudes of a modern society.
Many of the responses to the consultation document were in support of equality of treatment for men and women in the records of births, deaths and marriages. Proposals on how this could be achieved are now being formulated and the intention is to publish a policy paper in due course.