Private evidence session regarding Gender Recognition Reform: FOI release

Information requested

Details of any private evidence sessions that have taken place with regard to the Gender Recognition Reform (GRR) Bill that the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee hasn't announced.

• Have civil servants or MSPs (or both) taken evidence from witnesses for the GRR Bill in private?
• If so, can you provide the general perspective of the sessions? i.e. were they in favour of or against the reforms.
• If they were in favour of the reforms, could you confirm whether or not those in attendance wanted the GRR to go further in making it easier to obtain a gender recognition certificate?

Response

Scottish Government Bill teams offer all committees private informal factual briefings on bills. These are with civil servants not Ministers. A bill team meeting on the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill was held on 15 March 2022 and the minute is here ; Minutes for Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee 8th Meeting, 2022 Tuesday, March 15, 2022 | Scottish Parliament Website.

With a view to being helpful, we would advise that you contact the Scottish Parliament for further assistance. Their email address is: foi.officer@parliament.scot .

Further to this, the agenda and minutes of the informal briefing have been published and can be found on the Parliament website here; https://www.parliament.scot/-/media/files/legislation/bills/s6- bills/gender-recognition-reform-scotland-bill/stage-1/equalities-clerks-note-on-the-briefing-from-sgofficials- on-grr-bill.pdf

About FOI

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