Clause 19 - Sport
Gender Recognition Bill [Lords]
2:45 pm
Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry, Conservative)
I counsel the Minister not to accept the arguments, however charmingly advanced, of the hon. Member for Birmingham, Selly Oak (Lynne Jones). She is right on the principle, which is that the Bill is of
general application to legal status, and we should test any derogation from that quite seriously. We recently discussed such a precise point in clause 16.
The hon. Lady has no doubt assiduously read the debates in another place on the matter. My hon. and noble Friends Baroness Buscombe and Lord Moynihan, who share the dubious pleasure of participating with me on our culture, media and sport team, were engaged with some practical problems not dissimilar to the concerns about the practice of religion voiced by my hon. Friend the Member for South-West Bedfordshire (Andrew Selous). I am glad that they persuaded the Minister to introduce an entirely measured and appropriate new clause.