To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of expanding eligibility for the human papillomavirus vaccination to all young adults under the age of 25, irrespective of sex or sexual orientation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of expanding eligibility for the human papillomavirus vaccination to all young adults under the age of 25, irrespective of sex or sexual orientation.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Integrated Security Fund annual report 2024 to 2025, published on 30 October 2025, and the Supreme Court ruling in the case of For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers [2025], why the Integrated Security Fund refers to...

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Integrated Security Fund annual report 2024 to 2025, published on 30 October 2025, and the Supreme Court ruling in the case of For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers [2025], why the Integrated Security Fund refers to...

To ask His Majesty's Government when NHS England plan to update the version of the Core Information Standard on its website to reflect changes made by the Professional Record Standards Body which make the recording of sex mandatory in electronic patient records.

To ask His Majesty's Government when NHS England plan to update the version of the Core Information Standard on its website to reflect changes made by the Professional Record Standards Body which make the recording of sex mandatory in electronic patient records.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance has (a) his Department, (b) NHS England and (c) MHPRA provides to NHS bodies and his Department’s arm’s length bodies on (a) the expression of gender critical views and (b) recognition of biological sex.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance has (a) his Department, (b) NHS England and (c) MHPRA provides to NHS bodies and his Department’s arm’s length bodies on (a) the expression of gender critical views and (b) recognition of biological sex.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make it her policy to require that the Passport Office records the legal sex not the gender of the passport applicant.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make it her policy to require that the Passport Office records the legal sex not the gender of the passport applicant.

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they consulted the Information Commissioner’s Office regarding data protection safeguards before approving the text of the Equality and Human Rights Commission's draft Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations concerning biological sex verification.

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they consulted the Information Commissioner’s Office regarding data protection safeguards before approving the text of the Equality and Human Rights Commission's draft Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations concerning biological sex verification.

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they had made of the potential impact on privacy rights under (1) the Data Protection Act 2018, and (2) section 22 of the Gender Recognition Act 2004, prior to laying the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s draft Code of Practice for Services, Public...

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they had made of the potential impact on privacy rights under (1) the Data Protection Act 2018, and (2) section 22 of the Gender Recognition Act 2004, prior to laying the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s draft Code of Practice for Services, Public...

Lords statement on the draft Equality Act 2010 code of practice for services, public functions and associations.

Lords statement on the draft Equality Act 2010 code of practice for services, public functions and associations.

My Lords, I welcome the opportunity to respond to the Statement on the draft Equality Act 2010 code of practice. The publication of the draft code is welcome, and I was pleased to see greater protections for breast-feeding women, and greater clarity for people with disabilities. Those are important improvements.

The...

My Lords, I welcome the opportunity to respond to the Statement on the draft Equality Act 2010 code of practice. The publication of the draft code is welcome, and I was pleased to see greater protections for breast-feeding women, and greater clarity for people with disabilities. Those are important improvements.

The...

My Lords, I thank the Minister for this Statement on a profoundly important yet sensitive matter. When we debate the updated code of practice, we must remember that at the heart of this issue are fellow citizens. If we listen closely, we find that people affected by the code are...

My Lords, I thank the Minister for this Statement on a profoundly important yet sensitive matter. When we debate the updated code of practice, we must remember that at the heart of this issue are fellow citizens. If we listen closely, we find that people affected by the code are...

I thank both the noble Lord and the noble Baroness for their questions and contributions.

I start by picking up the point made by the noble Lord, Lord Scriven, and addressing the noble Baroness, Lady Stedman-Scott, about the general principle. We forget what the Supreme Court itself said in its judgment,...

I thank both the noble Lord and the noble Baroness for their questions and contributions.

I start by picking up the point made by the noble Lord, Lord Scriven, and addressing the noble Baroness, Lady Stedman-Scott, about the general principle. We forget what the Supreme Court itself said in its judgment,...

I very much welcome the last part of my noble friend’s answer. I would like clarification on two points, because the word “sensitivity” has been used, and indeed is used in the guidance. I would like my noble friend to confirm that it is discriminatory to involuntarily out a trans...

I very much welcome the last part of my noble friend’s answer. I would like clarification on two points, because the word “sensitivity” has been used, and indeed is used in the guidance. I would like my noble friend to confirm that it is discriminatory to involuntarily out a trans...

We have to respect the judgment of the Supreme Court. It has interpreted the Equality Act, and I know that my noble friend—and I think everyone on this side of the House—is proud of the Equality Act and what it has achieved. We are absolutely determined to ensure that the...

We have to respect the judgment of the Supreme Court. It has interpreted the Equality Act, and I know that my noble friend—and I think everyone on this side of the House—is proud of the Equality Act and what it has achieved. We are absolutely determined to ensure that the...

On the subject of proportionality so eloquently spoken of by the noble Lord, Lord Scriven, does the Minister agree that there have been only four reports of alleged criminal behaviour by trans people in lavatories since 2022? Does he not think that the obsession with lavatories does us no credit...

On the subject of proportionality so eloquently spoken of by the noble Lord, Lord Scriven, does the Minister agree that there have been only four reports of alleged criminal behaviour by trans people in lavatories since 2022? Does he not think that the obsession with lavatories does us no credit...

I hear what the noble Lord says. What we do have is a decision of the Supreme Court and a decision of the independent Equality and Human Rights Commission about how that guidance should be complied with. I do not understand the fixation on toilets either. The point was raised...

I hear what the noble Lord says. What we do have is a decision of the Supreme Court and a decision of the independent Equality and Human Rights Commission about how that guidance should be complied with. I do not understand the fixation on toilets either. The point was raised...

My Lords, although I very much welcome the decision of the Supreme Court, there may be room for statutory exemption in respect

of persons who have fully transitioned—that is to say, certificated and having gone through the gender-affirming surgery. There is a case for saying that they should be entitled...

My Lords, although I very much welcome the decision of the Supreme Court, there may be room for statutory exemption in respect

of persons who have fully transitioned—that is to say, certificated and having gone through the gender-affirming surgery. There is a case for saying that they should be entitled...

I hear what the noble Viscount says. The Supreme Court judgment is clear about biological sex; we have to and we will ensure compliance. The independent Equality and Human Rights Commission has come up with guidance. That guidance has gone through a lot of process and consultation, and people have...

I hear what the noble Viscount says. The Supreme Court judgment is clear about biological sex; we have to and we will ensure compliance. The independent Equality and Human Rights Commission has come up with guidance. That guidance has gone through a lot of process and consultation, and people have...

My Lords, I went out with two female friends, one of whom was thrown out of a women’s toilet because she was wrongly identified as a man. As the guidance allows trans men to be excluded from single-sex spaces on the basis of appearance, how does the clear and practical...

My Lords, I went out with two female friends, one of whom was thrown out of a women’s toilet because she was wrongly identified as a man. As the guidance allows trans men to be excluded from single-sex spaces on the basis of appearance, how does the clear and practical...

I come back to my original response. The idea that somebody is making a judgment because of the way someone is dressed or looks is inappropriate. I think it is pretty obvious if a man goes into a women’s toilet by error or sometimes due to absolute need—which I have...

I come back to my original response. The idea that somebody is making a judgment because of the way someone is dressed or looks is inappropriate. I think it is pretty obvious if a man goes into a women’s toilet by error or sometimes due to absolute need—which I have...