Classification: NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED

Dear Sir

Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 – Request for Information

Thank you for your information request dated 11 December 2024 and received on 11 December 2024. Our reference is FOI 2024-1195. This is being dealt with under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.

We are considering your request. We may be in touch soon to ask for further clarification or to offer advice and assistance if we are not able to fulfil your request in its present form.

The legislation allows us up to 20 working days from the date that we receive a valid request, including any clarification we need to make a final response. We will be in touch within 20 working days of receipt of your initial request to provide our response or to seek clarification where necessary. We hope to give you the information you are looking for at an earlier date if possible.

Please be advised that Orkney Islands Council will be closed for business over the festive period. If we are unable to provide a response to your request before close of business on Tuesday 24 December 2024, we will endeavour to provide a response as soon as we can when we re-open in the new year on Monday 06 January 2025.

Regards

Leona Scott
Information Administrator | Strategy, Performance & Business Solutions
Orkney Islands Council | Council Offices | Kirkwall | Orkney | KW15 1NY
Telephone: (01856) 873535 | Extension: 3377

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Classification: NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED

Dear Sir

Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 – Request for Information

I refer to your email dated 11 December 2024 and received on 11 December 2024; our reference is FOI 2024-1195.

I am pleased to give the information you requested and hope that it meets your requirements. Our response is detailed below:

I would like to request under the Freedom of Information Act data I believe to be held by your authority concerning marriages.

In particular, I would like to request information on what documentation prospective couples have to present to prove they are not related.

Orkney Islands Council follows the requirements as stipulated by the National Records of Scotland and the Marriage (Scotland) Act 1977. The requirements are contained in the following links:

(https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/registrati...)
(https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/197...)

I would like to know the number of marriages which were blocked or prevented from proceeding because of a lack of this proof.

None

In addition, I would like to know the number of marriages in your area for the past five years.
432

Can you break down this figure to show marriages between First Cousins?

Zero

Could this figure be broken down to include the ethnicity of both parties and their gender.

Not applicable

Also, I would like to know any policy or guidance you may have concerning the marriage of first or second cousins.

Orkney Islands Council follows the requirements stipulated by the National Records of Scotland and the Marriage (Scotland) Act 1977 as noted above and has no local policy or guidance on this.

Under FOISA, if you are dissatisfied with our response, you may ask the Council to review its handling of your request. If you wish to do this, you should make your request for review within 40 working days of receiving this email. Please make your request for review to Service Manager (Governance), Council Offices, School Place, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1NY or email to [Orkney Islands Council request email]. Your request must be in permanent form (letter, email, audio tape etc) and should state:

That you are asking for a review of this decision, and
Why you are unhappy with the response you have received.

We will issue a full response to your request for review within 20 working days of our receiving it.

Where the outcome of the review fails to resolve the matter to your complete satisfaction, you then have the right to apply to the Scottish Information Commissioner for a decision. You have six months in which to do so following receipt of our review outcome – see www.foi.scot/appeal.

Regards

Paul Kesterton
Information Governance Officer
Strategy, Performance & Business Solutions
Orkney Islands Council, Council Offices, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1NY
Telephone: 01856 873535 Extension: 2241
www.orkney.gov.uk

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