As of 2005, couples who have entered into a civil partnership in the United Kingdom are recognised by the Isle of Man Department of Health and Social Security for pension purposes. The other rights of a civil partnership were not provided. In March 2009, the Chief Minister announced that "civil partnerships" would be introduced in the Isle of Man in October 2009. This bill would be modelled on the UK one, providing same-sex couples with nearly all of the rights and responsibilities of marriage. In February 2010, the civil partnership bill was introduced by the Manx Government and had its first reading in the House of Keys. The bill was passed 19 to 3 in its second reading on 30 March. Further progress towards the passage of the bill was due to take place on 27 April, but was delayed for technical reasons. The bill passed the clauses stage on 25 May, and was approved in its third reading on 22 June. On 29 June, the bill had its first reading in the Legislative Council. The bill passed second reading on 26 October, the clauses stage on 9 November, and on 23 November, the bill passed third reading. On 15 March 2011, the bill was signed into law. It took effect on 6 April 2011. It was decided in 2014 that same-sex marriages from England, Wales and Scotland, as well as other marriages performed abroad, would be treated as civil partnerships on the island, until same-sex marriage is legalised. In 2016, along with the legalisation of same-sex marriage, civil partnerships were opened up to opposite-sex couples, in contrast to the UK civil partnership law.
Same-sex marriage
On 9 June 2015, Chief Minister Allan Bell announced his intention to repeal the law barring same-sex marriage on the island. On 21 July, Bell ruled out holding a referendum on the issue. On 2 October 2015, the Chief Minister announced a public consultation on the issue to take place between 15 October and 13 November, with a bill allowing same-sex couples to marry to be introduced to Tynwald in 2016, depending on the results of the consultation. In November 2015, the Chief Minister announced that the same-sex marriage bill would have its first reading in Tynwald in December 2015 and would be implemented in 2016. On 19 December, Allan Bell said that the bill would be submitted to the House of Keys in January, with the intention of having the law take effect by summer 2016. The government response to the public consultation on the Marriage Bill was published on 22 January, with the Council of Ministers recommending that the bill be promptly introduced into the House of Keys for consideration. The bill had its first reading in the House of Keys on 2 February 2016. On 9 February, the bill passed its second reading by 18–4.
Political affiliation
Voted for
Voted against
Abstained/Not present
Independent
Liberal Vannin Party
-
-
Total
4
2
The measure passed the clauses stage on 1 March. Several amendments which would have allowed registrars to opt out of conducting same-sex marriages were rejected. One amendment the House did agree to was an amendment to allow opposite-sex couples to enter into civil partnerships. Consequently, the bill was renamed the Marriage and Civil Partnership Bill 2016. On 8 March, the bill was approved in its third reading, in a 17–3 vote.
Political affiliation
Voted for
Voted against
Abstained/Not present
Independent
Liberal Vannin Party
-
-
Total
3
4
On 22 March, the bill passed its first reading in the Legislative Council, in a 6–3 vote. On 12 April, the bill passed through both the second reading, in a 5–3 vote, and the clauses stage, with three amendments proposed by the acting Attorney General. The bill was approved in its final reading on 26 April by a vote of 6–3.
On 10 May, the House of Keys approved the Council's amendments in a unanimous 22 to 0 vote. The bill was signed in Tynwald Court on 21 June, officially becoming the Marriage and Civil Partnership Act 2016. Some media reported that the bill was expected to be promulgated on 5 July, but it was delayed due a legal challenge lodged with the Privy Council. However, the Cabinet Office stated that the bill would receive royal assent in the Privy Council, and be officially proclaimed during the Tynwald sitting on 19 July. The Chief Minister said that the UK European Union membership referendum was the reason for the delay, and that the law would take effect on 22 July. The law indeed received royal assent in the Privy Council on 13 July and was proclaimed on 19 July. It took effect three days later. The first same-sex marriage to be registered on the Isle of Man was that of Marc and Alan Steffan-Cowell, who converted their civil partnership into a marriage on 25 July 2016. The first same-sex marriage to be performed on the island occurred on 30 July, between Luke Carine and Zak Tomlinson.
