Same-sex marriage up for discussion as SNP cabinet visits Skye

MEMBERS of the SNP government discussed proposals to legalise same sex marriage during a cabinet meeting in Skye held today as part of a ministerial summer tour of Scotland.

• SNP cabinet stops in Skye during summer tour

• Scottish Government decided to delay a decision on gay marriage last week

Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon updated ministers about the work of the cabinet sub-committee set-up to explore legal issues arising from the proposals.

The meeting comes after the SNP Government postponed making its official position known, even though First Minister Alex Salmond has confirmed that he favoured introducing a same-sex marriage bill.

A spokeswoman for the Scottish Government, speaking after the cabinet meeting, said that ministers were “on track” to make an annoucement on the proposals by the end of the month.

Meanwhile, ministers could be quizzed by members of the public on the issue of same sex marriage during a question and answer session in Skye being held this afternoon as part of the two day visit.

It is the fifth summer in a row that members of the cabinet have taken their discussions out of Edinburgh during Holyrood’s summer recess.