Contributions
1,330 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARD“For Women Scotland” Supreme Court RulingI very much hope that trans people will still believe that this is a country where they are welcome and where their rights and dignity are upheld; that is certainly the position…24 Apr 2025HANSARD“For Women Scotland” Supreme Court RulingMy understanding of the ruling is that, where single-sex spaces are provided, they should be provided on the basis of biological sex. It is not, of course, the case that every…24 Apr 2025HANSARD“For Women Scotland” Supreme Court RulingThe facilities of the House of Lords are not something for which I have responsibility. I am sure, like all other providers of services, the House will be considering carefully…24 Apr 2025HANSARD“For Women Scotland” Supreme Court RulingMy noble friend is of course right. I think we should be judged on this on the basis of our action to protect women and girls, our action to protect the most vulnerable in our…24 Apr 2025HANSARD“For Women Scotland” Supreme Court RulingMy Lords, this ruling brings welcome clarity and confidence for women and service providers. Throughout my life, not just as a Minister, I have campaigned and worked for women’s…24 Apr 2025HANSARD“For Women Scotland” Supreme Court RulingThe violence and abuse received by those women who took forward this action and by others who have taken this position is wholly unacceptable, as is the vandalism of statues that…24 Apr 2025HANSARD“For Women Scotland” Supreme Court RulingThe integrity and fairness of sport are obviously crucial. The Equality Act actually always allowed sporting bodies, for example, to exclude trans people from gender-affected…24 Apr 2025HANSARD“For Women Scotland” Supreme Court RulingOn the noble Baroness’s final point, as I outlined at the beginning, protecting the most vulnerable people and protecting people on the basis of their protected characteristics…24 Apr 2025HANSARD“For Women Scotland” Supreme Court RulingGender-critical beliefs are of course protected under the provisions of the Equality Act. I do not know where that particular guidance or those changes have got to, but I will…24 Apr 2025HANSARD“For Women Scotland” Supreme Court RulingThe noble Baroness is right that there are technicalities and complications about the way healthcare is provided. There is, however, now clarity through this ruling about where…24 Apr 2025HANSARD“For Women Scotland” Supreme Court RulingMy Lords, many of the elements of obtaining a gender recognition certificate remain in place, with the exception that is now applied by this ruling to the definition of “women” in…24 Apr 2025HANSARD“For Women Scotland” Supreme Court RulingI hope I provided some reassurance in my opening comments. The noble and right reverend Lord is right that this does not remove legal protections for trans people.24 Apr 2025HANSARD“For Women Scotland” Supreme Court RulingI will come back to the noble Baroness about that. There are elements of this ruling and the scope of the Equality Act that we need to look at carefully, but I will come back to…24 Apr 2025HANSARD“For Women Scotland” Supreme Court RulingIt was the Supreme Court that was clear that single-sex spaces, including toilets, should be offered on the basis of biological sex, and Ministers were reflecting that ruling.…24 Apr 2025HANSARD“For Women Scotland” Supreme Court RulingOne of the important things about the EHRC’s production of the statutory code of practice, and other forms of guidance, is that it consults as widely as possible, as my noble…24 Apr 2025HANSARD“For Women Scotland” Supreme Court RulingI am sure that the Civil Service, we as lawmakers and all public bodies will look carefully at this ruling and the statutory code of practice that will be brought forward by the…24 Apr 2025HANSARDAdoption and Special Guardianship Support FundMy noble friend is right that the adoption and special guardianship support fund is specifically aimed at recognising the state’s role in having previously cared for the child at…02 Apr 2025HANSARDFree School MealsI certainly want to ensure that we right the decline in young people starting apprenticeships that has happened over the last few years. As my noble friend knows, if you are in an…02 Apr 2025HANSARDFree School MealsOne of the things about devolving responsibilities is that it enables in this case mayors to make decisions about how they want to spend their resources. As I said, at the moment…02 Apr 2025HANSARDFree School MealsMy noble friend makes an important point, and makes the case that I was trying to outline about the way in which local authorities are often very well placed to ensure that…02 Apr 2025