On 2 March 2022 the Scottish Government published the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill. On introducing the Bill Social Justice Secretary Shona Robison stated: 'This Bill does not introduce any new rights for trans people. It is about simplifying and…
Author: Kath Murray
MBM submission to Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee on the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill
Our submission to the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee on the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill can be read below. A copy of the submission can also be downloaded here. About us MurrayBlackburnMackenzie (MBM) is a not-for-profit independent…
Cross-border effects of GRA reform in Scotland: unanswered questions
We have written previously about the potential cross border effects of the Scottish Government’s proposals to introduce a self-declaration model of legal sex change. In 2003, the then Scottish Executive – a Labour/Liberal Democrat coalition – considered whether to legislate…
Read More Cross-border effects of GRA reform in Scotland: unanswered questions
The SPS review on trans prisoners: a chance to get policy-making in Scottish prisons back on track
This blog uses material from recently received FoI responses, supplemented by other published and unpublished sources, to consider how the current Scottish Prison Service (SPS) review of its Gender Identity and Gender Reassignment Policy offers a chance to get policy…
MBM response to EHRC guidance for providers of separate and single-sex services
We welcome the new EHRC guidance for providers of separate and single-sex services. The guidance helpfully provides more detailed discussion of the issues, compared to previous EHRC guidance, and more examples of cases where services or activity are legitimately single…
Read More MBM response to EHRC guidance for providers of separate and single-sex services
Update: Petition on accurately recording the sex of people charged or convicted of rape or attempted rape
Today the Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee considered our petition for a second time. We are pleased that the Committee has decided to keep the petition open and welcome the next steps agreed by members. These include seeking further…
Making law in the dark
The Scottish Government argues that its proposed reforms to the Gender Recognition Act 2004 (GRA), which open up Gender Recognition Certificates (GRC) to a much larger, more diverse group of people, do not affect who can access to single sex…
MBM response to the introduction of the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill
Today’s statement and the response in Parliament lays to rest any argument that legislation in this area should not be properly debated. We were pleased that MSPs across the Chamber recognised that this Bill needs to be scrutinised like any…
Read More MBM response to the introduction of the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill
Gender recognition reform: 14 unanswered questions
1. What are the legal effects of a Gender Recognition Certificate? The Scottish Government has not explained on what basis it believes that a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC) confers no new rights, has no implications for other people, or why…
Read More Gender recognition reform: 14 unanswered questions
Two recent court rulings in Scotland: bad news for Scotland’s census but good news for public data collection
This blog considers two recent rulings by the Inner House of the Court of Session. These are the ruling in the Appeal case brought by For Women Scotland (FWS), which sought to overturn an earlier judgment in favour of the Scottish…