The case of Joan Blass, as highlighted by Predatory Marriage UK, is deeply troubling and I completely sympathise with her family. Clearly, the current legislation did not protect her.

Elderly women with dementia, like Joan, are particularly vulnerable to predatory marriage and are often targeted, but in these cases the whole family suffers.

Two years ago, I wrote to the then Minister for Safeguarding, Rachel Maclean, and asked her to consider what actions could be taken to help safeguard people like Joan from predatory marriages. This included highlighting several policy proposals which had been put forward by Predatory Marriage UK.

In response, Lord Bellamy QC, the then Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Ministry of Justice, said that the Government will not be taking any action in this area until the Law Commission has completed its reviews into marriages and wills.

The Law Commission has now finished its review of marriages and published its report; however, it has not yet completed its review of wills. Therefore, the Government will not be willing to act yet.

However, in his letter, the Minister also said that ‘the General Register Office has committed to work with the National Panel for Registration and the Forced Marriage Unit to consider what additional training might be developed to help registrars recognise forced marriage cases.’

I have now written to the head of the General Register Office, the Registrar General Myrtle Lloyd, to ask what work the Office has done in this regard over the last two years. I have posted a copy of this letter below for you to see.

I can assure you that I will continue to support taking action to tackle predatory marriages.