§ Lord Lester of Herne Hillasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they intend to amend the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 so as to eliminate any difference between same-sex couples and opposite-sex couples. [HL2082]
§ The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Scotland of Asthal)The new legal status of "civil partnership" will provide a range of rights and responsibilities for same-sex couples that choose to register. The Civil Partnerships Bill makes provision for civil partners and former civil partners to be added to the categories of people entitled to make a claim under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975, and provides for their applications to be treated on the same basis as applications made by spouses and former spouses. The Government have no current plans to amend the 1975 Act to make similar provision for co-habiting opposite-sex or same-sex couples.