Hansard

The Presiding Officer (Alison Johnstone) NPA

The next item of business is a debate on motion S6M-07312, in the name of Shona Robison, on the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill. 12:52

The Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Housing and Local Government (Shona Robison) SNP

This stage 3 debate is the culmination of a six-year process of consultation and policy development that started with a commitment in the 2016 fairer Scotlan...

Rachael Hamilton (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con) Con

If we are repealing parts of the Gender Recognition Act 2004 in the schedule, does that not have the effect of removing the access that the cabinet secretary...

Shona Robison SNP

No; both routes will be open to people once the legislation is enacted. Following her visit to the UK, the Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights...

Rachael Hamilton Con

Will the cabinet secretary give way?

Shona Robison SNP

Not just now. That is why we prioritise the work of the equally safe strategy, the delivery of which has resulted in changes in legislation through the Dome...

Rachael Hamilton Con

If, as the cabinet secretary says, the Government has the rights and protections of women and girls at the heart of what it does, why have so many of her Sco...

Shona Robison SNP

Members of all parties have differing views. I could ask the member why some of her own party do not agree with her position on the bill. People have listene...

Rachael Hamilton Con

rose—

Shona Robison SNP

No, thank you. I have also stated clearly that the bill does not change public policy around the provision of single-sex spaces and services. We support the...

Liam Kerr (North East Scotland) (Con) Con

Will the cabinet secretary take an intervention?

Shona Robison SNP

Not just now. The bill does not in any way modify the Equality Act 2010, and I supported the amendment, which was agreed to, that puts that beyond doubt in ...

Mercedes Villalba (North East Scotland) (Lab) Lab

Will the minister take an intervention?

Daniel Johnson (Edinburgh Southern) (Lab) Lab

Will the minister take an intervention?

Shona Robison SNP

I will take a brief intervention from Daniel Johnson.

Daniel Johnson Lab

As it stands under the Equality Act 2010, a trans person can be excluded from a single-sex space on the basis that they are transgender, and therefore essent...

Shona Robison SNP

I am grateful to the member for the opportunity to put on the record once again that, as I have said so many times, the exceptions in the Equality Act 2010 r...

Mercedes Villalba Lab

Will the minister give way?

Shona Robison SNP

Yes.

The Presiding Officer NPA

Very briefly.

Mercedes Villalba Lab

I am very grateful to the minister for introducing this bill to reform legal gender recognition for trans men and women. However, we must also recognise that...

The Presiding Officer NPA

In conclusion, please.

Shona Robison SNP

As we said in the committee at stage 2, that further work is under way. The bill is a further step towards making Scotland a more inclusive and fair society...

Rachael Hamilton (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con) Con

I echo the words of the cabinet secretary and put on the record my thanks to all parliamentary staff, including the very hard-working bill team. It is with ...

Gillian Martin (Aberdeenshire East) (SNP) SNP

Does Rachael Hamilton agree that the amendments that I lodged at stage 3 mean that men on the sexual offences register will be risk assessed so that they can...

Rachael Hamilton Con

I do not agree that Gillian Martin’s amendments go far enough; they should have been more robust. The Parliament should have voted for Michelle Thomson’s ame...

Fulton MacGregor (Coatbridge and Chryston) (SNP) SNP

Will the member take an intervention?

Rachael Hamilton Con

Not at the moment, because I would like to make a little bit of progress, thank you. The UN special rapporteur on violence against women and girls, Reem Als...

The Presiding Officer NPA

We will hear Ms Hamilton.

Rachael Hamilton Con

The Parliament has to think about the message that that will send to young women such as my daughters. Warm words about women’s rights are often recited in t...