MBM note to the Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee. 6 March 2023

This note provides a further update on our petition. We comment on recent responses to the Committee, submitted by Police Scotland, the Scottish Government, the Crown Office and Prosecution Service (COPFS). We also comment on the Bryson case, and its implications…

Lucy Hunter Blackburn: speech to the No Males in Female Jails demonstration, 9 February 2023

"One of the first times I spoke in public on women's rights was in June 2019, on this subject - what was happening in prisons in Scotland. I said then "I’ll start by making a general point, which is that…

MBM submission to the Scottish Parliament Finance and Public Administration Committee inquiry into effective decision-making by the Scottish Government

In December 2022, the Scottish Parliament's Finance and Public Administration Committee launched an inquiry into effective decision-making by the Scottish Government. More detail on the inquiry can be found here. Our submission to the Committee is shown below. 1. What…

Guest blog: does the Scottish Prison Service risk assessment for placing transgender prisoners protect women?

In the end, the only risk the SPS seems to be concerned about, was the risk to themselves. A guest blog by Dr Alessandra Asteriti Dr Alessandra Asteriti has an LLM and a PhD in international law from the University…

The SPS Equality Impact Assessment on its trans prisoner policy

This blog looks at the Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA) undertaken by the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) as part of developing its Gender Identity and Gender Reassignment policy. Background The SPS website lists all equality impact assessments (EQIA) they have carried…

Recording sex accurately in crime statistics: update on our petition to the Scottish Parliament

In light of the recent Graham/Bryson case, this blog updates the position on our petition calling on the Scottish Parliament: to urge the Scottish Government to require Police Scotland, the Crown Office and the Scottish Court Service to accurately record…

Comparing consultations on gender recognition reform and the impact on the operation of the Equality Act: who asked, who listened?

The attached briefing note compares how consultations on gender recognition reform by the Scottish Government  (in 2017 and 2019) and the UK government (in 2018) dealt with the interaction between the Gender Recognition Act 2004 and the Equality Act 2010.…