Responses to Civil Partnership:A framework for the legal recognition ...

Name changesQ. Can I change my name to my partner’s if I register a civil partnership withhim/her?A. Yes. An individual would be free to change their surname to their civilpartner’s if they so wished. A person would be responsible for ensuringthat those organisations with their personal details would need to benotified of their name change. There is currently nothing to prevent aperson changing their name to their partner's now. An individual mayneed to document that change by a change of name deed if they are askedfor evidence of their name change. A person's name is acquired by “usageand reputation”, so there would be no legal requirement to take (or nottake) the name of a civil partner.DiscriminationQ. Will civil partners be protected from discrimination on the grounds of being ina civil partnership?A. The Government is proposing that it would be unlawful for an employer todiscriminate against a person on the ground that he or she is in a legallyrecognised relationship (which would cover either marriage or civilpartnership). Discrimination against people in employment and vocationaltraining, on the grounds of sexual orientation, will be prohibited by thenew Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations that comeinto effect from 2 December 2003.LegislationQ. When will this proposal become law?A. The Government will introduce legislation for a civil partnership schemeas soon as parliamentary time allows.42