systems in literature, discussions with couples etc. Stonewall commented that if civil partnership was abolished and existing civil partnerships converted into marriage the Government may face legal costs for challenges from affected couples who were unhappy with this. 2.30 Common themes emerging from the more general comments on costs and benefits included the following: Views on the scale of potential costs if civil partnerships were opened to opposite sex couples and on whether spending on making this change would be appropriate Running two parallel systems (marriage and civil partnership) would cost more than one If any couples were obliged to convert their civil partnerships into marriage, the costs should be met from public funds. Many respondents mentioned issues covered in other questions or outside the scope of the consultation such as expressing views about the moral or societal costs of extending marriage to same sex couples. Almost no respondents mentioned benefits other than in terms of advancing equality if civil partnerships were opened up to opposite sex couples. 2.31 The vast majority of the 1,748 responses to the question asking whether there were implementation issues not covered in the consultation document did not provide the information sought by the question. The comments made most frequently were either opposition to marriage of same sex couples or concerns that opening civil partnership to opposite sex couples would undermine marriage. 2.32 Of the respondents who did address the question, the topic covered most often was how existing civil partnerships would be converted into marriages. Some respondents saw civil partnerships as legal contracts which it would be difficult to convert into marriages. Other issues raised were costs, the challenge of ensuring that all civil partnerships had been converted and the consequences if a couple deliberately or otherwise did not convert their civil partnership which was dissolved as a result. The other topic raised most commonly was the complication of running more than one system of legal relationship. 2.33 A of other individual points were made. Examples included questions about the position of couples in overseas opposite sex civil unions, about courtesy titles and the unknown legal territory of ending one type of legal relationship to enter another.
systems in literature, discussions with couples etc. Stonewall commented that if civil partnership was abolished and existing civil partnerships converted into marriage the Government may face legal costs for challenges from affected couples who were unhappy with this. 2.30 Common themes emerging from the more general comments on costs and benefits included the following: Views on the scale of potential costs if civil partnerships were opened to opposite sex couples and on whether spending on making this change would be appropriate Running two parallel systems (marriage and civil partnership) would cost more than one If any couples were obliged to convert their civil partnerships into marriage, the costs should be met from public funds. Many respondents mentioned issues covered in other questions or outside the scope of the consultation such as expressing views about the moral or societal costs of extending marriage to same sex couples. Almost no respondents mentioned benefits other than in terms of advancing equality if civil partnerships were opened up to opposite sex couples. 2.31 The vast majority of the 1,748 responses to the question asking whether there were implementation issues not covered in the consultation document did not provide the information sought by the question. The comments made most frequently were either opposition to marriage of same sex couples or concerns that opening civil partnership to opposite sex couples would undermine marriage. 2.32 Of the respondents who did address the question, the topic covered most often was how existing civil partnerships would be converted into marriages. Some respondents saw civil partnerships as legal contracts which it would be difficult to convert into marriages. Other issues raised were costs, the challenge of ensuring that all civil partnerships had been converted and the consequences if a couple deliberately or otherwise did not convert their civil partnership which was dissolved as a result. The other topic raised most commonly was the complication of running more than one system of legal relationship. 2.33 A of other individual points were made. Examples included questions about the position of couples in overseas opposite sex civil unions, about courtesy titles and the unknown legal territory of ending one type of legal relationship to enter another.
Civil_Partnership_Review_Report.docx