Section 213: Specified relationships

Civil Partnership Act 2004 · 2004 c. 33View on legislation.gov.uk

Part 5: Civil partnership formed or dissolved abroad etc. — Chapter 2: Overseas relationships treated as civil partnerships

A specified relationship is a relationship which is specified for the purposes of section 212 —

in the case of a relationship registered by two people who under the relevant law are of the same sex when the relationship is registered, by Part 1 of Schedule 20,
in the case of a relationship registered by two people who under the relevant law are not of the same sex when the relationship is registered, by Part 2 of Schedule 20.

The Secretary of State may by order amend Part 1 of Schedule 20 by—

adding a relationship,
amending the description of a relationship, or
omitting a relationship.

No order may be made under this section amending Part 1 of Schedule 20 without the consent of the Scottish Ministers and the Department of Finance and Personnel.

No order may be made under this section amending Part 2 of Schedule 20 without the consent of the Department of Finance.

The power to make an order under this section is exercisable by statutory instrument.

An order which contains any provision (whether alone or with other provisions) amending Part 1 of Schedule 20 by—

amending the description of a relationship, or
omitting a relationship,

may not be made unless a draft of the statutory instrument containing the order is laid before, and approved by a resolution of, each House of Parliament.

A statutory instrument containing any other order under this section amending Part 1 of Schedule 20 is subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

The Scottish Ministers may by regulations amend Part 2 of Schedule 20 by—

adding a relationship,
amending the description of a relationship,
omitting a relationship.

Regulations under subsection (7)—

amending the description of a relationship or omitting a relationship, are subject to the affirmative procedure,
adding a relationship, are subject to the negative procedure.

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Reuse reviewed 21 August 2026 under Open Government Licence v3.0.