Committees

Chair criticises GEO ministers ahead of final session on the Reform of the Gender Recognition Act

14 June 2021

On Wednesday 16 June at 2.30pm, the Women and Equalities Committee will hold its final inquiry session on the Reform of the Gender Recognition Act.

The Committee will hear from two panels of witnesses, with the first panel consisting of Baroness Kishwer Falkner and Melanie Field OBE from the EHRC, who will be questioned on the Government’s response to the Gender Recognition Act consultation and the work they have done to improve the rights of transgender people, in law and more generally.

The second panel will consist of Jo Churchill MP, Minister for Prevention, Public Health and Primary Care, who will discuss the health inequalities faced by many trans people and the opening and use of gender identity clinics.  

Government Equalities Office (GEO) ministers were asked to give oral evidence during this session, but in a letter responding to this invitation, Minister Kemi Badenoch said, “the Government has not changed its position and so I would not be able to impart any additional information as part of your inquiry”. 

Caroline Nokes MP, challenged the lack of attendance from a GEO Minister, arguing that this would further compound the perception of the Government creating a “hostile environment” for LGBT people in the UK, which former members of the LGBT Advisory Panel told the Committee about in a session last month.

The refusal of a GEO Minister to give evidence to this inquiry, also comes after the Committee wrote to the GEO in April to express serious, ongoing concerns about the GEO’s approach towards the Women and Equalities Committee.

Caroline Nokes, Chair of the Women and Equalities Committee, said:

"We are both frustrated and bewildered that the GEO, which has oversight of Trans policy, has refused to provide oral evidence to our inquiry.

In recent months the GEO has made a number of policy announcements that will significantly affect the lives of Trans people in the UK, and this refusal is another example of GEO ministers evading essential parliamentary scrutiny of crucial policy issues."

Purpose of the session

The main aims of the session are: 

  • To examine and scrutinise the Government’s response to the Gender Recognition Act consultation. 
  • To examine the role played by the Department of Health and Social Care and the EHRC in reforming the Act. 

Witnesses

Wednesday 16 June 

At 2.30pm

  • The Baroness Falkner of Margravine, Chair at Equality and Human Rights Commission
  • Melanie Field OBE, Executive Director for Policy, Strategy and Wales at Equality and Human Rights Commission

At 3.30pm

  • Jo Churchill MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary at Department of Health and Social Care

Further information

Image: Parliamentary copyright