Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, pursuant to the Answer of 20 March 2017 to Question 68173, whether the review into the de-medicalising and streamlining of the Gender Recognition Act 2004 will include the effect of self-definition on (a) women's refuges, (b) women's health services, (c) women-only sports groups, (d) commissioning for specialist clinical services and emotional support for transgender people and (e) commissioning for clinical responses to and health-related research on illnesses which predominantly or solely affect men or women.

The Government is dedicated to promoting the equal rights of women and of transgender individuals.

In our work to review the Gender Recognition Act we are monitoring the implementation of alternative gender recognition processes in other jurisdictions and we are analysing the evidence placed before the Women and Equalities Committee. We are considering single-sex and other public services as part of the review.

All public authorities have to comply with the requirements of the Equality Act 2010 and the Public Sector Equality Duty in the development of policy, commissioning and provision of services. This includes paying due regard not only to the needs of men and women but also transgender individuals. We will comply with these requirements in all our work.