Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, with reference to page 8 of the Government response to the First Report from the Women and Equalities Committee, Session 2015-16, on Transgender Equality, column 9301, published in July 2016, and pursuant to the Answer of 15 September 2016 to Question 45657, what progress the Government has made on (a) publishing update reports on the documents Working for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Equality: Moving Forward and Advancing transgender equality: a plan for action, published in 2011 and (b) producing a new action plan on transgender equality.

In our response to the Committee in July, the Government committed to a range of significant actions designed to improve the lives and experiences of transgender people.

We agree with the Committee that issues raised are serious and complex. That is why we are engaging with stakeholders to make sure any changes we make are based on evidence and user needs.

On the action plans specifically, we are in the process of collating updates and will publish a summary in 2017.

On reforms to the Gender Recognition Act, we’ve been engaging with ministers on how to take this commitment forward and we have begun our stakeholder engagement programme by meeting the Gender Recognition Panel.

We will provide an update on the Government’s progress in 2017.