Schools: Gender-questioning Children Debate

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Department: Department for Education

Schools: Gender-questioning Children

Lord Blunkett Excerpts
Thursday 22nd February 2024

(10 months ago)

Lords Chamber
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Baroness Barran Portrait Baroness Barran (Con)
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I absolutely agree with my noble friend. Again, the guidance is clear that schools should not agree to support any degree of social transition for a primary school child unless it is explicitly required to safeguard and promote their welfare.

Lord Blunkett Portrait Lord Blunkett (Lab)
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My Lords, I commend the approach of my noble friend on the Front Bench, and I have some sympathy with the Government. In 2000, when we issued the first ever Sex and Relationship Education Guidance, it caused all kinds of division. I hope the Minister agrees—and this applies to politics more broadly— that we must try to come to a consensus and find agreement, rather than following the terrible current trend of looking at what divides us.

Baroness Barran Portrait Baroness Barran (Con)
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I agree entirely with the noble Lord.