Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will make an estimate of the number of hours that (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have spent in discussions with representatives of the Scottish government on the potential cross-border issues relating to the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill in the last 12 months.

The Minister for Women and Equalities wrote to the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Housing and Local Government, Shona Robison MSP, while the Bill was still in the Scottish Parliament, outlining her concerns with the Gender Recognition Reform Bill as it stood. They also met to discuss the UK Government’s concerns. UK Government officials have had regular meetings with Scottish Government counterparts since the Gender Recognition Reform Bill’s introduction in the Scottish Parliament.

Ministers and officials in my Department conduct regular engagement with the Scottish Government on a range of matters, including legislation, Scotland Act Orders, and other policy matters.