UK
Civil Partnership Bill
Stonewall Welcomes Cross-Party Support In Parliament for
Pensions Equality
Stonewall has today welcomed a cross-party motion calling for full pensions equality for same sex couples.
With the Civil Partnership Bill due to receive its second reading in the House of Commons next week this timely intervention, in an Early Day Motion tabled by Dr Desmond Turner MP and backed by almost 50 MPs from across the political divide, emphasises the need for full equality for committed lesbian and gay couples in all aspects of their relationships. Dr Turner is MP for Brighton Kemptown.
“We're delighted that this issue is finally getting the support it deserves” said Stonewall chief executive Ben Summerskill. “We want to stop the anomaly that could lead to same-sex couples registering their partnership under Civil Partnership legislation but not being able to enjoy the same rights to survivor pensions as their married colleagues. We have long maintained that registered gay couples, who have paid the same contributions to pension schemes as heterosexuals, should be entitled to exactly the same benefits when they retire”.
Dr. Turner’s motion reads: “This House welcomes the introduction of the Civil Partnership Bill, believing it gives long-overdue recognition to committed same-sex couples.”
But it goes further, calling on Government to rectify the position in respect of ‘survivor pensions’ for same-sex partners; believing that “registered same-sex couples who have made the same contributions to pension schemes as their married colleagues ought to be entitled to exactly the same benefits upon retirement as those of married couples.”
Parliament discusses the Civil Partnership Bill on Thursday September 16 when the House of Commons gives its “second reading” to the bill. This follows questions to the Minister for Women at the DTI.
Before the summer recess, the House of Lords virtually scuttled the Bill by introducing a number of amendments. The Government does not accept these amendments and they are expected to be thrown out in the Commons.
It is hoped that the Bill will become the Civil Partnership Act by the end of the year and will be implemented during 2005.
Survivor pensions for same-sex couples is not currently in the Bill. But the hoped is that MPs will add this to the Bill.
If this happens, civil partnerships for same-sex couples will provide the vast majority of the benefits of marriage for heterosexuals.
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UK readers can email their Member of Parliament from Parliament's web site urging them to support both the Early Day Motion and the Bill. If you know the name of your Member of Parliament click here and select from list of names. If you do not know the name of your MP, then click here for list of all Parliamentary constituencies and select from the list.
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9 September, 2004
