House of Commons First reading The Bill received its First Reading on 24 January 2013.
Second reading The Bill received its Second Reading on 5 February 2013, passing by a large majority of 400 to 175. of the Bill, 5 February 2013 (Aye votes are in blue and dark blue). The SNP did not vote, as the Bill largely applies to England and Wales only.
Committee stage The Bill was examined by the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill Committee, a Public Bill Committee established to scrutinise the Bill line-by-line. The committee made no amendments to the Bill and returned it to the House of Commons on 12 March 2013. Prior to its scrutiny of the Bill, the Committee heard evidence from a number of witnesses. On 12 February 2013, the Committee heard evidence from the
Church of England, the
Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, the
Church in Wales,
Lord Pannick,
Baroness Kennedy of the Shaws,
Stonewall, the
Lesbian and Gay Foundation, the Gender Identity Research and Education Society,
Liberal Judaism, the
Board of Deputies of British Jews,
Out4Marriage, the
Coalition for Marriage, and Julian Rivers of the
University of Bristol Law School. On 14 February 2013, the Committee heard evidence from the
Religious Society of Friends (the Quakers in Britain), the
General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches, the
Methodist Church, the
United Reformed Church,
Liberty, the
Equality and Human Rights Commission, the
Cooperative Group, Schools OUT, the PSHE Association,
Jeffrey John,
Alice Arnold,
Brendan O'Neill, and Mark Jones of Ormerod Solicitors.
Report stage The Bill was examined by the House of Commons as a whole during the Report Stage on 20 and 21 May 2013. During the Report Stage, a number of amendments were made to the Bill: • A new clause was inserted which makes clear that chaplains who are employed by a non-religious organisation (such as in a hospital or a university) who refuse to conduct a same sex marriage will not contravene anti-discrimination legislation. • Clause 8 was amended to state that if the Governing Body of the Church in Wales makes clear that it wishes to conduct same sex marriages, the Lord Chancellor must make an order allowing it to do so, rather than simply having the power to do so. • Following pressure on the government to open up access to civil partnerships for opposite-sex couples, a new clause was inserted which will require there to be a review of the operation and future of the Civil Partnership Act 2004 in England and Wales as soon as practicable.
Third reading The Bill received its Third Reading in the House of Commons on 21 May 2013, passing with a majority of 366 to 161.
House of Lords First reading The Bill received its First Reading in the House of Lords on 21 May 2013.
Second reading The Bill passed its Second Reading in the House of Lords on 3 and 4 June 2013, after a vote of 390 (72%) votes to 148 (28%) rejected a
wrecking amendment that would have denied it a second reading. The bill was supported (and the amendment rejected) by a majority from nearly every party having representation in the House. – primarily acts as a reviewing chamber, and the second reading is often in effect about the principles of a bill. The bill was therefore expected to be faced with a difficult hurdle, including strong, vocal opposition. A rarely used "wrecking" motion was tabled by
Lord Dear, to effectively reject the bill in full, in place of its second reading. Speakers opposed to the bill described it as a breach of tradition, undemocratic, against religion, and ill thought out. Supporters of the bill included peers who were themselves in long-term same-sex relationships (
Lord Alli,
Baroness Barker,
Lord Black of Brentwood,
Lord Smith of Finsbury), and a fourth whose daughter was in a same-sex relationship, as well as heterosexual peers such as
Lord Jenkin who had been supportive of gay rights for decades. The final vote of almost 3–1 against the amendment, and in favour of the bill as it stood, was described by media and other observers as "very remarkable",
Committee stage The Bill underwent its Committee Stage in the House of Lords on 17, 19 and 24 June 2013. A number of government amendments to the Bill were agreed during the Committee Stage: • Clause 5 was amended to detail the relevant governing authorities for giving consent to same-sex marriages according to the rights and usages of the Jewish religion; • Schedule 7 would now also amend the
Marriage Act 1949 to make clear that a same-sex marriage carried out by the Church of England, or by a religious organisation that had not opted in to solemnising same sex marriages would be void; • Schedule 7 would now also amend the
Public Order Act 1986. Part 3A of the 1986 Act prohibits stirring up hatred against people based on their sexual orientation. Part 3A would be amended to make clear that any discussion or criticism of marriage which concerns the sex of the parties to marriage shall not be taken of itself to be threatening or intended to stir up hatred.
Report stage The Bill underwent its Report Stage in the House of Lords on 8 and 10 July 2013. == Commencement ==