Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what plans she has to amend the Gender Recognition Act 2004 to permit children under the age of 18 to change their gender without parental consent.

The Gender Recognition Act 2004 is the piece of legislation that enables people to apply for a Gender Recognition Certificate, and thereby gain legal recognition of their gender. Legal gender recognition is entirely separate from any medical treatment an individual may receive to change their gender.

In July 2017, we announced our intention to consult on reforming the Gender Recognition Act 2004. We are currently considering the content of the consultation, and we will be publishing the consultation in due course. The Government recognises that there are a wide range of views on reforming the Act and we are taking time to engage with stakeholders in advance of the consultation to understand these views in more detail.

Any reforms that we might take forward relating to the age limit for applying for a Gender Recognition Certificate, will not affect when an individual can access medical treatment. Surgery is not offered for children and adolescents, and we have no intention of changing this.