Stonewall welcomes landmark legal change for gay parents
April 7th, 2010 by Siobhan.McGuirk
Landmark legal changes came into force yesterday, which will greatly affect gay parents who have children through surrogacy.
New Human Fertilisation and Embryology (Parental Orders) Regulations have been extended to include both unmarried couples and same-sex partners as able to apply for a parental order following surrogacy. Previously, only married couples had been able to apply for this ‘fast-track’ court process to grant them legal parenthood.
The news has been welcomed by gay rights organisation Stonewall, which lobbied government in support of the changes when the legislation passed through Parliament two years ago. The Human and Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008 extended equal legal recognition to same-sex couples and their families.
Ben Summerskill, Stonewall Chief Executive, said: “Until now same-sex couples and unmarried heterosexual couples have been obliged to go through a lengthy adoption process in order to become legal parents of their children. This welcome step is legislation catching up with the reality of modern families.”
He continued: “These new Regulations rightly make the welfare of the child the paramount consideration of the court when deciding whether to grant a parental order.”
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