Meetings with faith groups regarding Gender Recognition act 2004: FOI release

Information requested

Please provide details of all faith groups the Scottish Government has met with in developing its proposals to reform the Gender Recognition Act 2004 since 17 March 2020, including but not limited to:

• Muslim Council of Scotland
• Amina Muslim Women Resource Centre
• Scottish Council of Jewish Communities
• Catholic Bishops Conference of Scotland
• Church of Scotland
• Sikhs in Scotland

Please provide details of meetings held with such groups, as well as minutes of those meetings.

Response

The consultation on the draft Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill closed on 17 March 2020. On 1 April 2020, the Minister for Parliamentary Business and Veterans announced the Government's plans for managing its legislative programme in light of the impacts of Covid-19 and work on the Bill paused at that time. In September 2021, the Scottish Government announced the intention to bring forward the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill in this Parliamentary Year.

No religious or belief body has requested a meeting with the Scottish Government and the Scottish Government has not held meetings with religious or belief bodies since 17 March 2020 while work on the Bill was paused or since work has resumed. This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested.

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