Debate contribution: Marriage and Civil Partnership Bill: Extension of Committee Stage

Debate contribution by Mr Matthew O'Toole on 11 May 2026.

MLA

Mr Matthew O'Toole

Party at the time

Social Democratic and Labour Party

Date

11 May 2026

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Committee Business

Heading

Marriage and Civil Partnership Bill: Extension of Committee Stage

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 5523645

Read the official Assembly record

Text

I am pleased to be able to move the motion today. First of all, the Committee welcomes the Bill. In bringing the motion, we are clear that we regard 13 November 2026 as a limit rather than a target. Indeed, with several recent Bills, the Committee has proved itself able to rigorously scrutinise legislation significantly more complex than this Bill. That is not to say that this is not an important Bill. With those Bills, we have completed our reports without undue delay, and, where evidence-gathering has concluded earlier than anticipated, we have been able to conclude our scrutiny sooner than anticipated. We hope that that may also be the case with the Bill. We bring forward the motion to extend the Committee Stage in order to ensure that we have the necessary time and flexibility to discharge our statutory scrutiny role appropriately. The Marriage and Civil Partnership Bill was introduced to the Assembly on Monday 16 March 2026. It completed Second Stage on Monday 20 April, with Committee Stage beginning on Tuesday 21 April. As Members are aware, Standing Order 33(2) states:

"A statutory committee to which a Bill stands referred under this order, may, within the period of 30 working days from the date of referral, consider and take evidence on the provisions of the Bill, and report its opinion thereon to the Assembly."

Without an extension to Committee Stage being agreed, the last day of Committee Stage would be Wednesday 3 June, when the Committee would be required to lay its report on the Bill. In practical terms, that would significantly curtail the Committee's ability to undertake the level of scrutiny that the draft legislation warrants. I will not go through all the Bill's provisions in detail, as they were rehearsed at Second Stage. First, the Bill brings non-religious belief marriage fully within the statutory framework of the Marriage (Northern Ireland) Order 2003, placing belief bodies on the same statutory footing as religious bodies for the purposes of registering officiants and granting temporary authorisations. Secondly, it raises the minimum age of marriage and civil partnerships to 18, without exception, and introduces an offence that is aimed at conduct that is intended to cause a child to enter into a marriage. The proposed extension to Friday 13 November 2026 would allow the Committee to undertake scrutiny in the usual and appropriate manner, which would include a six-week call for evidence; consideration of written submissions and survey responses; and a number of in-person evidence sessions during Committee meetings. It would ensure that the Committee could continue its wider programme of work alongside scrutiny of the Bill, including its ongoing inquiry into the performance and culture of the Northern Ireland Civil Service. The Committee has also been careful to take account of recess periods and to plan scrutiny in a realistic and transparent way. Accordingly, the proposed approach allows for the summer and Halloween recesses and extends Committee Stage into mid-November. Members will be cognisant of the importance of applying appropriate time to legislative scrutiny, including the reputational risks that can arise from inadequate scrutiny, and the importance of adhering to well-established Bill scrutiny procedures. Given some of the consequences of previous bits of legislation, it is important that we are all mindful of that and of the reputation of this institution more broadly. In requesting that the Assembly supports the extension, the Committee is simply asking for the flexibility that is required to give the Bill the time and scrutiny that it deserves while, again, emphasising that the Committee views the extended date of 13 November as a limit rather than a target. The Committee commends the motion to the House and seeks Members' approval.

I have very little to respond with, Mr Deputy Speaker. I thank the Assembly for considering the motion. I trust that it will be confident that the Committee will treat the extended date not as a target but as a limit. Hopefully, the motion will be passed.

663 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Assessment

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Assessed 21 October 2026 at 15:35 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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