Amend the Fatal Accidents (Northern Ireland) Order 1977 (S.I. 1977/1251 (N.I. 18)) as follows.
In Article 2(2) (meaning of “dependant”), after sub-paragraph (a) insert—
(aa)the civil partner or former civil partner of the deceased;
In sub-paragraph (b)(iii) of Article 2(2), after “wife” insert .“ or civil partner ”
After sub-paragraph (f) of Article 2(2) insert—
(fa)any person (not being a child of the deceased) who, in the case of any civil partnership in which the deceased was at any time a civil partner, was treated by the deceased as a child of the family in relation to that civil partnership;
After Article 2(2A) insert—
(2B)The reference to the former civil partner of the deceased in paragraph (2)(aa) includes a reference to a person whose civil partnership with the deceased has been annulled as well as a person whose civil partnership with the deceased has been dissolved.
In Article 2(3)(b), for “by affinity” substitute .“ by marriage or civil partnership ”
In Article 3A(2) (persons for whose benefit claim for bereavement damages may be made)—
In Article 5 (assessment of damages), in paragraph (3A), after “wife” insert .“ or civil partner ”