Registrars across the country are refusing to take part in gay civil partnerships claiming they are ‘conscientious objectors’ to the new law, which comes into effect in December.

Councils in Bromley and Northern Ireland have already moved to ban civil partnership ceremonies, and now local authorities in Scotland are being allowed to opt out of officiating at ceremonies to accompany the registrations.

East Dunbartonshire will only offer the registrations, the minimum legal requirement, and Highland Council, although it has yet to make a final decision, has hinted that they will not offer ceremonies.

The Herald reports that councillors in West Dunbartonshire were told last month that some staff had "particular conscientious objections" to taking part in civil partnership ceremonies involving gay couples.

"It is deeply disappointing that some Scottish councils feel that it is reasonable to deny a simple civil ceremony to gay couples wishing to celebrate their relationship in front of friends and family,” said Calum Irving, director of Stonewall Scotland.

"It seems particularly miserly that some authorities are denying ceremonies given that all councils will be complying with the law in providing the registration part of civil partnerships.

"It is certainly against the spirit of the civil partnership legislation and fails to recognise the duty that the Scotland Act places on all public bodies to promote equal opportunities including on the basis of sexual orientation."

By law, registrars will have to register civil partnerships, but individual councils have the opportunity of opting out of carrying out ceremonies to accompany the registration.

The Department of Trade and Industry has issued guidance on civil partnerships encouraging gay couples to hold ceremonies as part of their registrations.

According to Pink Weddings, 35% of wedding venues are not prepared to host ceremonies for same-sex couples.

The Association of Registrars and Celebratory Services has called on all registrars to officiate at the services which they say should be "conducted universally up and down the country".

"Obviously Arcs would want to encourage registration professionals to offer this service in parity with marriage, with no discrimination, but there may be some individuals with conscience issues," Val Gilfillan, the chair of Arcs and superintendent registrar told the Guardian.

She told the paper that she thought it would be "only an odd one in an office" who might object and that it would be "a management issue" in which colleagues without objections were assigned to preside at civil partnership services.

A spokeswoman for the registrar general told the Herald that all Civil Partnerships in Scotland would be registered.

"We can guarantee that every couple who wants their partnership registered, at a reasonable place and time, can do so,” the spokeswoman said.

"Under the Civil Partnerships Act, registrars need to be specially appointed by the registrar general to register civil partnerships – just the same as they need special appointment to conduct marriages.

"We will ensure that sufficient registrars are appointed to do that.

"But we do not need every registrar to be appointed: not every registrar is appointed to officiate at marriages."

The Deputy Registrar General for Scotland, Paul Parr, said that those registrars who do not want to take part in ceremonies would not have to do so.

UPDATE: We have received an email from the Equality Network informing us that East Dunbartonshire council have issued a ‘clarification’ on recent news reports about civil partnership ceremonies. The council say that contrary to reports, they have not yet made a decision on whether to provide civil partnership ceremonies.

The General Register Office for Scotland will be circulating a recommended form of ceremony to all councils in October and the Equality Network believes all councils should make that available to any couple who want it.

As they point out, all councils in Scotland are under a statutory duty to carry out all their functions in a manner that encourages equal opportunities, including on grounds of sexual orientation, and have an additional duty under the Human Rights Act not to discriminate in the respect they afford to people's family life.