Overview

The consultation on the draft Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill closed for responses on March 17 2020. The Scottish Government thanks everyone who submitted a response.

On 1 April 2020, the Minister for Parliamentary Business and Veterans, Graeme Dey MSP, announced the Government's plans for managing its legislative programme in light of the impacts of COVID-19. This statement is available at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/report.aspx?r=12602&mode=pdf (columns 42 to 52)

Mr Dey advised that, as an unavoidable consequence of the need to focus resource on dealing with the current pandemic, protecting lives and supporting the NHS, it is regrettably the case that work within the Government is being halted for now on the reform of the Gender Recognition Act, along with other planned bills on Moveable Transactions, and Foxhunting. In addition, Mr Dey noted that the Good Food Nation and Circular Economy Bills will also be affected and that the Transient Visitor Levy would not be progressed at this time.

The Scottish Government continues to have a strong commitment to reform the Gender Recognition Act 2004 and improve the current process for trans people. It also remains committed to improving the lives of trans and non-binary people more generally. Trans people continue to suffer poorer outcomes relative to the wider population, and this needs to change.

We will, when resources allow, complete the work of analysing the responses to the consultation on the draft Bill. However, no timetable can be provided at this stage as the Scottish Government’s focus must be on dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic.