��˾����ҹ����

The Marriage Act 1949 is amended as follows.

Section 3 (marriages of persons under 18), subsection (1): after “widow” insert “or a surviving civil partner”.

(1)     Section 25 (void marriages) is amended as follows.

(2)     At the beginning insert—

“(1)     A marriage shall be void in any of the following cases.”.

(3)     The existing wording of section 25 becomes subsection (2) of that section; and, at the beginning of that subsection, for “If any persons” substitute—

“(2)     Case A is where any persons”.

(4)     For the words after paragraph (d) substitute—

“(3)     Case B is where any persons knowingly and wilfully consent to or acquiesce in the solemnization of a Church of England marriage between them by a person who is not in Holy Orders.

(4)     Case C is where any persons of the same sex consent to or acquiesce in the solemnization of a Church of England marriage between them.

(5)     In subsections (3) and (4) “Church of England marriage” means a marriage according to the rites of the Church of England.”.

Section 27A (additional information required in certain