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| Royal succession: MPs debating changes | |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| Proposed changes which would end centuries-old discrimination against women in the line of royal succession are being debated by MPs. | |
| At the moment, women are superseded by their brothers in succession even if they are the first born. | At the moment, women are superseded by their brothers in succession even if they are the first born. |
| New legislation would end the principle of male primogeniture as well as rules barring the sovereign and prospective heirs from marrying a Catholic. | New legislation would end the principle of male primogeniture as well as rules barring the sovereign and prospective heirs from marrying a Catholic. |
| The government hopes to speed the changes through Parliament. | The government hopes to speed the changes through Parliament. |
| The proposed shake-up is regarded as long overdue by constitutional experts and equality campaigners. | The proposed shake-up is regarded as long overdue by constitutional experts and equality campaigners. |
| The government has said current laws, dating back to the 1701 Act of Settlement, are "old fashioned" and must be made "fit for the 21st Century" while the reforms also have the backing of the opposition. | The government has said current laws, dating back to the 1701 Act of Settlement, are "old fashioned" and must be made "fit for the 21st Century" while the reforms also have the backing of the opposition. |
| The Succession To The Crown Bill will also remove a requirement for descendants of George II to seek permission to marry from the monarch, dating back to 1772, replacing it with a requirement for the first six people in the succession to seek the sovereign's consent. | The Succession To The Crown Bill will also remove a requirement for descendants of George II to seek permission to marry from the monarch, dating back to 1772, replacing it with a requirement for the first six people in the succession to seek the sovereign's consent. |
| However, the current prohibition on the monarch being a Catholic will remain in force. | However, the current prohibition on the monarch being a Catholic will remain in force. |
| 'General consensus' | 'General consensus' |
| Ministers have urged Parliament to speed the passage of the legislation, which MPs will debate for the first time on Tuesday. | Ministers have urged Parliament to speed the passage of the legislation, which MPs will debate for the first time on Tuesday. |
| Following last month's announcement that the Duke of Cambridge - who is second in line to the throne - and his wife Catherine are expecting a baby, the government says "there is a general consensus that the law should be changed as soon as possible". | Following last month's announcement that the Duke of Cambridge - who is second in line to the throne - and his wife Catherine are expecting a baby, the government says "there is a general consensus that the law should be changed as soon as possible". |
| The changes would apply retrospectively so that a child born after 28 October 2011 will be subject to the new rules removing any gender preference from the laws of succession. | The changes would apply retrospectively so that a child born after 28 October 2011 will be subject to the new rules removing any gender preference from the laws of succession. |
| An influential committee of MPs has warned against any move to fast-track legislation of such "first-class constitutional importance" and questioned whether it is "appropriate" to allocate two days of debate in the Commons. | An influential committee of MPs has warned against any move to fast-track legislation of such "first-class constitutional importance" and questioned whether it is "appropriate" to allocate two days of debate in the Commons. |
| Even when there is a consensus about the need to legislate and agreement over a bill's contents, the Lords Constitution Committee said usual parliamentary scrutiny "should not be set aside" and there must be opportunity for a "full debate". | Even when there is a consensus about the need to legislate and agreement over a bill's contents, the Lords Constitution Committee said usual parliamentary scrutiny "should not be set aside" and there must be opportunity for a "full debate". |
| Adequate scrutiny was needed to consider potential "unintentional consequences" arising from the proposals, it warned. | Adequate scrutiny was needed to consider potential "unintentional consequences" arising from the proposals, it warned. |
| Due consideration should be given, it added, to any potential impact on the relationship between the monarch, the Church of England and the Catholic Church given the role of the sovereign as the head of the Established Church and the "particular sensitivities" involved in the relationship between Church and State. | Due consideration should be given, it added, to any potential impact on the relationship between the monarch, the Church of England and the Catholic Church given the role of the sovereign as the head of the Established Church and the "particular sensitivities" involved in the relationship between Church and State. |
| 'Absurd' | 'Absurd' |
| It also raised concerns about a scenario in which a prospective heir could be raised as a Catholic and therefore disqualified from acceding to the throne and said the need to retain consent from the monarch for any royal marriages "lacked explanation". | It also raised concerns about a scenario in which a prospective heir could be raised as a Catholic and therefore disqualified from acceding to the throne and said the need to retain consent from the monarch for any royal marriages "lacked explanation". |
| According to recent media reports, the Prince of Wales - while backing the end to male primogeniture - has expressed concerns to officials about "unintended consequences" which could affect the monarch's role as Supreme Governor of the Church of England. | According to recent media reports, the Prince of Wales - while backing the end to male primogeniture - has expressed concerns to officials about "unintended consequences" which could affect the monarch's role as Supreme Governor of the Church of England. |
| A spokesman for the Prince of Wales has said any change to the law is a matter for the government. | A spokesman for the Prince of Wales has said any change to the law is a matter for the government. |
| The proposed changes also need to be approved by the 15 other countries of which Queen Elizabeth II is head of state. They agreed in principle to do so in 2011 and to work to enact the necessary legislation simultaneously. | The proposed changes also need to be approved by the 15 other countries of which Queen Elizabeth II is head of state. They agreed in principle to do so in 2011 and to work to enact the necessary legislation simultaneously. |
| Republic, which campaigns for an elected head of state, called for "real democratic reform" in the shape of a referendum on the UK's future constitutional arrangements. | Republic, which campaigns for an elected head of state, called for "real democratic reform" in the shape of a referendum on the UK's future constitutional arrangements. |
| "It is absurd that in 2013 our parliament is debating a new law that would continue a hereditary succession, that would require people to ask permission to marry and ban Catholics from being head of state," its spokesman Graham Smith said. | "It is absurd that in 2013 our parliament is debating a new law that would continue a hereditary succession, that would require people to ask permission to marry and ban Catholics from being head of state," its spokesman Graham Smith said. |
| "What we need is an end to the hereditary succession altogether. If we must wait for that to happen then the very least we could expect is an end to the ban on Catholics and a more sensible set of reforms." | "What we need is an end to the hereditary succession altogether. If we must wait for that to happen then the very least we could expect is an end to the ban on Catholics and a more sensible set of reforms." |