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Same sex couples to secure new rights
The government has unveiled plans to give gay and lesbian couples in England and Wales the same partnership rights as their married counterparts.
Dismissing charges that they are sanctioning "gay marriage" ministers say they want to ensure long-term gay couples are given the same rights in areas such as pensions, inheritance tax and life assurance payouts.
Whilst the couples will have to sign a register, the government has insisted the move does not amount to marriage.
Currently long-term gay partners can lose income or be forced to pay inheritance tax on their home when their partner dies.
They are also denied next of kin status when their partner falls ill or passes away.
And in many cases pension rights and housing entitlements are not extended to same sex couples.
Response
The bill was unveiled by DTI equalities minister Jacqui Smith.
"The Civil Partnership Bill underlines the inherent value of committed same sex relationships. It opens the way to respect, recognition and justice for those who have been denied it for too long," she said.
"Same-sex couples often face a range of unnecessary problems in their everyday lives because of a lack of legal recognition of their relationships.
"The Civil Partnership Bill aims to eradicate this by providing same-sex couples with the opportunity to gain recognition of their relationship for the first time. It shows that we really value the diversity of the society we live in."
Ministers wants the legislation to be backed by the Scottish parliament and hope it will also be adopted in Northern Ireland.
The legislation has been welcomed by gay rights groups despite opposition from pro-family campaigners.
The move has broad cross-party support - although Michael Howard, who will back the bill, has given Conservative MPs a free vote on the issue.
The government is set to come under fire over their failure to extend the provision of the legislation to cohabiting heterosexual couples.
Whilst many partners believe they have security through so-called "common law" marriage, in fact they are often excluded from the same rights as their married counterparts.
Some MPs have called on the government to extend the scope of the legislation to ensure it covers those who choose to live together without tying the knot.
Ministers, however, say heterosexual couples can take the route of a civil marriage in order to make their joint interests secure.
They point out, however, that the same option is not open to homosexuals and are therefore pressing ahead with today's legislation in the face of opposition from family values campaign groups.
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