Clause 4
Equality Bill
1:45 pm
Tim Boswell (Daventry, Conservative)
By no means will I guarantee regularly to associate my views with those of the hon. Member for Hornsey and Wood Green, but in this case I will. The Committee will know the views—we have already referred to this in the evidence sessions—that I have formed in relation to gender reassignment, because I was involved in the Gender Recognition Act 2004. We should remember in passing that that was an achievement, which I think the Government can rightly record, and I am delighted that it was passed with our support.
Nevertheless, the Act was driven by a European Court of Human Rights case, which said that the issue had to be dealt with. One of the glories of this place, and one of the glories of the European convention in keeping us to our vocation—if I can put it that way—is to look at the protected status of minorities. It is well known that those involved in gender transition at whatever stage are a small minority. I happen to have a distinguished and very articulate constituent who has been in touch with me about the legislation. He is following our every word, as we go through the Bill.
I have strong sympathy with the arguments, and I just want to draw out two particular points. First, as the hon. Lady has said, it is very much a spectrum of consideration. At one end is the full acquisition of legal status through the issue of a gender-recognition certificate, which takes us in the United Kingdom out of the idea of a three-gender situation, because it in effect switches from one to the other, being a kind of digital solution. However, long before that there will be people who have inclinations or concerns, others who may be seeking treatment—often with difficulty in finding access to it, or getting the appropriate counselling—and others then moving on to medical interventions and therapies. Eventually they may move through the whole spectrum or, in certain cases, reverse away from that and not take it forward. Those are very intense and personal decisions for a limited number of people. It is really important—I cannot see it as subversive of anyone or of any policy, or likely to cause cost—to embrace as many of those people as we possibly can. I would like to see the widest possible clear definition.
My second point has particular bearing when read with the age exclusions in the Bill in relation to persons under the age of 18. That lady constituent of mine who has been in touch with me has drawn attention to the fact that she has been concerned about her status and sexuality since her teenage years—she is now of mature years and is older than me. There is some plausibility in arguing, as came out in the evidence sessions, that there is a battery of local authority responsibilities in relation to persons under the age of 18 in school, for example. Nevertheless, given that people live in the community as well, and as such concerns, confusions, doubts and very difficult personal situations can start earlier, it is important to make sure that young persons, who are vulnerable enough in their teenage years, who have that extra incubus or difficulty to contend with are covered by legislation. If the Minister can look at whether more can be done in that area, it would be very welcome.