Clause 3 - ''Cohabitants'' in Part 4 of 1996 Act to include same-sex couples
Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Bill [Lords]
3:00 pm
Mr Paul Goggins (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Home Office; Wythenshawe and Sale East, Labour)
The spirit of the discussion of this clause is again one of consensus. The clause has never been contentious, and nor is it now with the questions that the hon. Gentleman has asked.
The hon. Gentleman's second question was about equivalent relationships. I will need to go away and look into that a little further, but clearly there will be distinctions between married couples, cohabiting couples and so forth, and those distinctions will need to be made clear in any legislation considered by this House. When I have looked into the matter, I will speak or write to the hon. Gentleman to try to reassure him.
On the interplay between this legislation and any legislation on civil partnerships, we will need to have coherence and compatibility, but it is not our intention to introduce any further amendments to this Bill to address that.
Question put and agreed to.
Clause 3 ordered to stand part of the Bill.