Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Caroline Dinenage and Kevin Foster

Thursday 2nd February 2017 Commons Chamber

[Kevin Foster (Torbay) (Con)]

6. What progress the Government is making on reviewing the Gender Recognition Act 2004 and the process relating to gender recognition certificates.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Women and Equalities (Caroline Dinenage)]

The Government are continuing our work on our commitment to review the Gender Recognition Act 2004. We have begun stakeholder engagement programmes to look at how the gender recognition process can be improved, as well as looking carefully at international comparisons. We will provide an update later this year.

[Kevin Foster]

I thank the Minister for her answer. My constituent Rebecca Cook applied for a gender recognition certificate, but her application was rejected on the basis that the statutory declaration was more than six months old and she

“may have changed her mind.”

Given that the statutory declaration is a lifetime declaration, will the Minister confirm that the six-month time limit will be reviewed as part of the overall legislative review?

[Caroline Dinenage]

I am really sorry to hear that my hon. Friend’s constituent has encountered those difficulties, and he is absolutely right to bring that kind of case to the House today. We have committed to review, streamline and demedicalise the gender recognition process, and we will certainly consider evidence of any administrative barriers to people gaining the legal gender recognition that they want.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Caroline Dinenage and Kevin Foster

Tuesday 26th January 2016 Commons Chamber

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Women and Equalities and Family Justice (Caroline Dinenage)]

We are very clear about the fact that what happened at Emstrey—and, sadly, at other crematoriums in England and Wales—must never happen again. In December, as the hon. Lady will know, we launched a consultation which will end in March. However, I shall be more than happy to make that representation on her behalf.

[Kevin Foster (Torbay) (Con)]

rose—