'Work underway on legal framework for same-sex unions'
The government on Wednesday said efforts are underway to respond to a court order on formulating an official framework to recognise same-sex partnerships following a landmark ruling last year.  The Court of Final Appeal ruled last September that the government has a constitutional duty to allow gay couples to register their partnerships, in a case brought by former activist Jimmy Sham who married his male partner in New York in 2013. The top court said the government would be given two years to come up with an alternative framework so that same-sex relationships could be provided legal recognition.  In a written reply to a request by lawmaker Regina Ip for an update on the situation, constitutional and mainland affairs chief Erick Tsang said officials are "actively taking forward the relevant work" and will seek the views of the Legislative Council in due course, once there are concrete suggestions.  Tsang also said the matter is complex and involves a wide range of issues.  "We are now following the court's relevant judgment and timetable, conducting detailed study with the [Department of Justice] and relevant bureaux on the mechanism relating to the legal recognition of same-sex relationship, thresholds of recognition, eligibilities, conditions, how to effectively avoid abuses of the alternative framework, etc, as well as the rights and obligations arisen, including 'core rights' and 'supplementary rights', and formulating implementation," he said.