Page 175 - Katherine Ryan press pack 2015-20

partnership legislation would be expanded to accommodate heterosexual
couples as well.

"This change in the law helps protect the interests of opposite-sex couples who
want to commit, want to formalise their relationship, but don’t necessarily

want to get married," she said at the time.

The government has predicted that as many as 84,000 mixed-sex couples will

choose to enter into a civil partnership in the next year. By 2029, once uptake

has stabilised following the initial flurry, it anticipates that around 30,000
mixed-sex couples each year will enter into a civil partnership.

W RITTEN BY NICK LEVINE