For Women Scotland Ltd v Scottish Ministers

Baroness Stedman-Scott Excerpts

Monday 1st June 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Smith of Malvern (Lab)]

First, we have consistently recognised that there has been concern among the trans community about the way in which the ruling and the code will be implemented. I hope that recognising, as the ruling does, that the rights of trans people remain unaffected under the Equality Act through that ruling, along with the code itself spelling out the ways in which trans people need to maintain their access to services, and setting out some quite sensible examples of how that should happen, would provide some reassurance.

[Baroness Stedman-Scott (Con)]

My Lords, this morning the Health Secretary told the “Today” programme that the Supreme Court ruling was clear and that single-sex spaces must be protected, but UNISON has called parts of the new guidance “completely unworkable” and Sir Ed Davey has said that it is “not fit for purpose”. Can the Minister reassure the House that whatever pressure Ministers may be under from unions, MPs or anybody else, they will stand firm on protecting single-sex spaces—yes or no?

[Baroness Smith of Malvern (Lab)]

This Government have always protected the right of women to have single-sex spaces. They always have; some of us have quite a long history of doing it and we will continue to do that.