Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.
These initiatives were driven by Baroness Noakes, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.
Baroness Noakes has not introduced any legislation before Parliament
Baroness Noakes has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting
The Government held a public consultation on the Gender Recognition Act (GRA) 2004 in 2018, to which we responded in 2020. We carefully considered the responses to the consultation and concluded that the balance struck in the legislation is correct. There are proper checks and balances in the system for people who want to change their legal sex and we have no intention of altering the requirements of the Gender Recognition Act 2004.
A judicial review in Northern Ireland last year found that the use of the term “disorder” within the definition of gender dysphoria (Section 25(1) of the GRA) was incompatible with the applicant’s rights under the European Convention on Human Rights as reflected in the Human Rights Act 1998. The High Court held that the use of the term was outdated and unjustified. The Government will be introducing a Remedial Order to remove the term ‘disorder’ in due course.
More widely, we are progressing in our commitments to make the gender recognition process more straightforward and accessible. That is why we have already reduced the fee to £5 and are digitising the application process to make it more accessible and easier to navigate.
My noble friend’s answer takes into account the distinction between behaviour that places someone unjustifiably at a disadvantage compared to others because of a protected characteristic in the Equality Act 2010, which is potentially unlawful; and similar behaviour that places someone at a disadvantage on other grounds such as socio-economic background.
The Equality Act 2010 provides protection against discrimination and unfair treatment on grounds of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation.
My noble friend was of course speaking more generally rather than in relation to specific legal rights. We are committed to upholding Britain’s long-standing record of protecting the rights of individuals against discrimination. The UK Government is committed to promoting equality for LGBT people at home and abroad and we continue to be recognised as one of the top 10 countries in Europe for LGBT rights. We are also clear that we want people who are transgender to be able to live their lives as they wish.
My department has noted the report by Akua Reindorf for the University of Essex. Currently, decisions on engaging with external service providers on diversity and inclusion are delegated to individual departments.
A response on this issue is in the process of being finalised. I hope to respond to Noble Lords before the House rises for the Christmas recess.
The Government is committed to ensuring the law is respectful and representative of all people while ensuring it can be clearly interpreted. The Office of the Parliamentary Counsel has already begun work reviewing current and historic practice in legislative drafting to inform the consideration of future drafting options. I will write to update the Noble Lady before the House rises for the summer.
In the proceedings brought by Fair Play for Women in relation to the sex question guidance in Census 2021 in England and Wales, the claimant’s solicitors named the Minister for the Cabinet Office as an interested party. The Cabinet Office considered this appropriate as the department responsible for the census legislation.
The legal costs have not yet been fully determined for the above proceedings.
The Order made by the court, in the case referenced above specifically related to the census legislation. The court made a distinction between a person’s sex as recognised by law and the gender with which a person self-identifies. HM Government will note this more broadly, and reflect on whether further guidance for government departments and public bodies is required.
HM Government also recognises the importance of accurate data collection.
HM Government has monitored progress of Census 2021 through regular engagement with the Cabinet Office, the Infrastructure and Projects Authority and HM Treasury. The Government is confident that Census 2021 will be successful and provide a wealth of data reflecting the society we live in today.
In the proceedings brought by Fair Play for Women in relation to the sex question guidance in Census 2021 in England and Wales, the claimant’s solicitors named the Minister for the Cabinet Office as an interested party. The Cabinet Office considered this appropriate as the department responsible for the census legislation.
The legal costs have not yet been fully determined for the above proceedings.
The Order made by the court, in the case referenced above specifically related to the census legislation. The court made a distinction between a person’s sex as recognised by law and the gender with which a person self-identifies. HM Government will note this more broadly, and reflect on whether further guidance for government departments and public bodies is required.
HM Government also recognises the importance of accurate data collection.
HM Government has monitored progress of Census 2021 through regular engagement with the Cabinet Office, the Infrastructure and Projects Authority and HM Treasury. The Government is confident that Census 2021 will be successful and provide a wealth of data reflecting the society we live in today.
In the proceedings brought by Fair Play for Women in relation to the sex question guidance in Census 2021 in England and Wales, the claimant’s solicitors named the Minister for the Cabinet Office as an interested party. The Cabinet Office considered this appropriate as the department responsible for the census legislation.
The legal costs have not yet been fully determined for the above proceedings.
The Order made by the court, in the case referenced above specifically related to the census legislation. The court made a distinction between a person’s sex as recognised by law and the gender with which a person self-identifies. HM Government will note this more broadly, and reflect on whether further guidance for government departments and public bodies is required.
HM Government also recognises the importance of accurate data collection.
HM Government has monitored progress of Census 2021 through regular engagement with the Cabinet Office, the Infrastructure and Projects Authority and HM Treasury. The Government is confident that Census 2021 will be successful and provide a wealth of data reflecting the society we live in today.
In the proceedings brought by Fair Play for Women in relation to the sex question guidance in Census 2021 in England and Wales, the claimant’s solicitors named the Minister for the Cabinet Office as an interested party. The Cabinet Office considered this appropriate as the department responsible for the census legislation.
The legal costs have not yet been fully determined for the above proceedings.
The Order made by the court, in the case referenced above specifically related to the census legislation. The court made a distinction between a person’s sex as recognised by law and the gender with which a person self-identifies. HM Government will note this more broadly, and reflect on whether further guidance for government departments and public bodies is required.
HM Government also recognises the importance of accurate data collection.
HM Government has monitored progress of Census 2021 through regular engagement with the Cabinet Office, the Infrastructure and Projects Authority and HM Treasury. The Government is confident that Census 2021 will be successful and provide a wealth of data reflecting the society we live in today.
NHS England and NHS Improvement commissioned the general practice COVID-19 vaccination service in line with agreed national terms and conditions, as an enhanced service (ES). Individual general practices were able to opt in to deliver the vaccine, coming together in Primary Care Network groupings to administer the vaccine as local vaccination services. As of 15 January 2021, 992 local vaccination services have opened to administer the vaccine. The number of individual general practices which have or have not opted into the ES is not collected or held centrally.
Equal access to COVID-19 vaccinations is a key consideration for planning and deployment of the vaccine programme. Where there are gaps in provision, NHS England will commission additional providers such as community pharmacy, hospital hubs and mass vaccination centres to provide vaccinations. The first community pharmacy sites began delivering the vaccinations from 11 January.
NHS England and NHS Improvement commissioned the general practice COVID-19 vaccination service in line with agreed national terms and conditions, as an enhanced service (ES). Individual general practices were able to opt in to deliver the vaccine, coming together in Primary Care Network groupings to administer the vaccine as local vaccination services. As of 15 January 2021, 992 local vaccination services have opened to administer the vaccine. The number of individual general practices which have or have not opted into the ES is not collected or held centrally.
Equal access to COVID-19 vaccinations is a key consideration for planning and deployment of the vaccine programme. Where there are gaps in provision, NHS England will commission additional providers such as community pharmacy, hospital hubs and mass vaccination centres to provide vaccinations. The first community pharmacy sites began delivering the vaccinations from 11 January.
Given the incubation period of the virus and local differences in application of testing protocols, it is not possible to definitively determine the number of people who contracted the virus while in hospital in England to date.
In my answer of 12 November I did not make a direct comparison with hospital cases, but with the number of COVID-19 cases overall, taking into account nosocomial infections in other settings.
Information on the estimated nosocomial infection rate for COVID-19 throughout 2020 in England is not available. Data is collected on the time between admission to hospital and the first positive swab for COVID-19, as part of a daily COVID-19 sitrep. The sitrep data collection began on 20 May 2020 and does not therefore cover the full pandemic.
Due to health systems being devolved in the United Kingdom, the Government does not have data on nosocomial infection rates for the other UK nations.
Information on the estimated nosocomial infection rate for COVID-19 throughout 2020 in England is not available. Data is collected on the time between admission to hospital and the first positive swab for COVID-19, as part of a daily COVID-19 sitrep. The sitrep data collection began on 20 May 2020 and does not therefore cover the full pandemic.
Due to health systems being devolved in the United Kingdom, the Government does not have data on nosocomial infection rates for the other UK nations.
The Government will respond to the letter from the Chair of the Working Group on Sterling Risk-Free Reference Rates in due course.
The Government has committed to updating the House as appropriate on the outcome of the February consultation on supporting the wind-down of critical benchmarks.