Clause 3 - Evidence
Gender Recognition Bill [Lords]
5:00 pm
Mr David Lammy (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs; Tottenham, Labour)
As I explained earlier, we must be sure that countries on the approved list have standards as rigorous as our own. To that extent, we have to make a tough assessment of the list, which will enable the process. The hon. Gentleman will have heard the debate that I had with my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Selly Oak about that matter. The assessment will enable the process of the applicant providing the evidence of their gender recognition to be a streamlined one—what some hon. Members refer to as a rubber stamp.
In relation to countries that are not on the approved list, we require that the person make an application. The application will be a rigorous one that assesses the nature of the medical evidence, how that person is presenting, the length of time that that person has spent in acquiring the new gender, and the permanence of that. That means that there will be an investigation of the evidence that the panel would expect.
Indeed, it may well be that in those more complex and difficult matters, the panel president will seek to have a panel of three members to assist him or her in that process. I do not want to tie the president's hands in that regard, but I say to the hon. Gentleman that we have to be sure about that evidence. The length of time and scrutiny that we have had on the matter in this place, on the Joint Committee and in the other place means that we have to ensure that when the arrangements are put in place that we are rigorous in that assessment.
Question put and agreed to.
Clause 3 ordered to stand part of the Bill.