24(1)The Scottish Ministers must, in conjunction with the Registrar General of Births, Deaths and Marriages for Scotland, take such steps as they consider to be necessary to ensure that the solemnisation of marriages and registration of civil partnerships continue to be available in Scotland during the emergency period.
(2)Steps taken under sub-paragraph (1) must ensure that the ability of persons to exercise rights under Article 12 (right to marry) of the European Convention on Human Rights is not disproportionately interfered with for reasons relating to coronavirus.
(3)The Scottish Ministers must, in respect of each reporting period, prepare a report on—
(a)the steps taken under sub-paragraph (1), and
(b)the number of marriages solemnised and civil partnerships registered in Scotland during the reporting period.
(4)The Scottish Ministers must lay each report under sub-paragraph (3) before the Scottish Parliament no later than 14 days after the expiry of a reporting period.
(5)In this paragraph—
“emergency period” means the period for which this paragraph is in force,
“reporting period” has the meaning given by section 12(4).