On 1 November 2018, royal assent was granted to the "Northern Ireland (Executive Formation and Exercise of Functions) Act 2018", which contained sections describing Northern Ireland's same-sex marriage and abortion bans as human rights violations. The law did not legalise same-sex marriage in Northern Ireland, but directed the British Government to "issue guidance" to civil servants in Northern Ireland "in relation to the incompatibility of human rights with region's laws on the two issues". The law passed 207–117 in the House of Commons.