Crawley MP Henry Smith hails new law to protect children from child marriage

Henry Smith MP hails new law to protect children from child marriage

Following his continued support for legislation through Parliament, including being a member of the Bill Committee’s Commons stage, Henry Smith MP has joined with the Act’s sponsor, Pauline Latham MP, to mark the Marriage & Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Act 2022 coming into effect this week.

Henry said: “I’m delighted that the Marriage & Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Act 2022 is now law. This Act raises the age of marriage and civil partnership to 18 in England and Wales: introducing important protections for children from the scourge of forced marriage.

“Now, 16- and 17-year-olds will no longer be able to marry or enter a civil partnership under any circumstances – even if they have parental or judicial consent.

“I was pleased to meet this week with brave survivors of child marriage in Parliament and it’s an important step forward that this law has now come into effect.”

The Marriage & Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Act 2022, put forward by Mid Derbyshire MP Pauline Latham, had its first reading in the House of Commons in June 2021 and received royal assent in April 2022.