Commentary on Sections Part 4 – Civil Partnership: Northern Ireland.Introduction Chapter 6 – Miscellaneous Section 204: False statements etc. with reference to civil partnerships
395.This section amends Article 8 of the Perjury (Northern Ireland) Order 1979 to make it an offence for a person to make false statements or representations with reference to marriage or civil partnership formation.
396.Subsection (2) inserts a new paragraph (1A) into Article 8 making it an offence to knowingly make certain false statements or representations for the purpose of procuring the formation of a civil partnership or a record being made in any register relating to civil partnerships, or as a means of forbidding the issue of a civil partnership document or a document required by an Order in Council. For example, a person who signs a declaration that he is free to enter into a civil partnership, knowing that the declaration is false, commits an offence.