Marriage bill 'not right approach' for Roma community

The Roma community could face a "negative impact" if there is "criminalising" marriages involving 16 and 17-year-olds, it has been claimed.

Mihai Bica from the Roma Support Group said it supported "any initiative" to give girls better rights, and early marriage was "not a huge problem" for Roma people, and was happening less often.

But he said the community was marginalised, and the Marriage Bill, which would raise the marrying age to 18 in England and Wales, was "not the right approach".