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Northern Ireland (Executive Formation) Bill

Moved by

Lord Morrow

17: Clause 8, page 5, line 35, at end insert—

“(1A) Any regulations under this section must include provision—

(a) prohibiting any person or religious body being compelled by any means (including by the enforcement of a contract or a statutory or other legal requirement) to—

(i) conduct a same-sex marriage,

(ii) be present at, carry out, or otherwise participate in, a same-sex marriage,

(iii) consent to a same-sex marriage being conducted, or

(iv) permit premises to be used for a same-sex marriage ceremony,

if the marriage is to be solemnised according to the rites of a religion;

(b) prohibiting discrimination claims against a person or religious body for refusing to do anything listed within paragraph (a);

(c) prohibiting discrimination claims in relation to employment for the purposes of an organised religion where a person refuses to employ or otherwise appoint a person married to a person of the same sex;

(d) protecting freedom for discussion or criticism of marriage which concerns the sex of the parties to marriage, including urging persons to refrain from marrying a person of the same sex;

(e) requiring the Secretary of State to issue statutory guidance supporting freedom of expression and freedom of conscience in educational institutions in relation to beliefs about the definition of marriage.

(1B) Provision made under subsection (1A) shall provide no less protection for freedom of expression and freedom of religion than applies in England and Wales.”