Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will publish the legal advice the Government received on devolution and the Gender Recognition Reform Bill (Scotland).
After careful consideration of policy and legal advice, I decided to make an order under section 35 of the Scotland Act 1998, preventing the Scottish Parliament’s Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill from proceeding to Royal Assent. The order, and a full Statement of Reasons published alongside it, set out in full the adverse effects the Government is concerned about. It is long-standing government practice, accepted by successive administrations, not to publish legal advice provided to the Government.