Member News
By Ned Simons - 30th October 2009
The British consulate in Australia has hosted 308 civil partnerships since 2004, according to figures published by the Foreign Office today.
In answer to a parliamentary question tabled by Labour MP Lynne Jones, Europe minister Chris Bryant revealed that of the consulates that are able to perform registrations, Australia was by far the most well-used.
The British consulate in Vietnam saw the next highest number with 49 registrations.
Civil Partnership registration cannot take place at the British Consulate in a country which has its own civil partnership or same-sex marriage legislation.
Australia has subsequently introduced its own legal recognition for same sex partners. Vietnam has not yet done so.
A total of 487 civil partnerships have been registered at British consulates overseas since the introduction of the Civil Partnership Act on 18 November 2004.
The most other most used were in Japan (22), Ireland (17) and Colombia (19).
While able to do so, the British missions in Turkmenistan and Mongolia did not hold any.
Dods Parliamentary Communications Ltd