I share your concerns about the current marriage laws and agree that meaningful change needs to take place. You may be interested to know that when the Government held a consultation on this in 2014, the majority of respondents were in favour of changing the law to allow legally valid non-religious belief ceremonies in unrestricted locations.
The Government is determined to make cycling and walking the natural choices for short journeys, or as part of longer journeys, by 2040. I am pleased that in the short term, Ministers have set an aim to double cycling activity to 1.6 billion stages per year, and increase walking activity to 300 stages per person per year. Moreover, I am encouraged by 2025, the Government wants to see 55 per cent of children aged five to ten regularly walking to school.
I welcome the fact that Commonwealth citizens, including Gurkhas, are exempt from immigration control under the Immigration Act 1971, throughout their service. The consequence of this exemption means that they are free from immigration conditions during the time they remain enlisted in HM Forces.
I completely understand what an incredibly emotive issue this is, and I appreciate the strength of feelings on both sides. It is for this reason that, as with other matters of conscience, the Government adopts a neutral stance on abortion, allowing Conservative MPs to vote freely according to their moral, ethical, or religious beliefs. This is a convention which I support wholeheartedly.