Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill
The Bill changes the process to get a gender recognition certificate (GRC). A GRC is a certificate that legally recognises that a person’s gender is not the gender that they were assigned at birth, but is their “acquired gender”.
The current process for obtaining a GRC is set out in the Gender Recognition Act 2004. This Bill amends that Act to make a new process in Scotland.
The Bill sets out:
- who can apply for a GRC
- how to make an application
- the grounds on which an application is to be granted
It also makes provision about:
- different types of GRC that may be issued in different circumstances (“full” GRCs and “interim” GRCs)
- appeals and reviews of decisions to grant (or not grant) GRCs
- revocation of a GRC and offences in connection with false information being provided in an application
The Bill ended Stage 3 on 22 December 2022
Contents
Stage 2 - Changes to detail
MSPs can propose changes (“amendments”) to the Bill. The amendments are considered and decided on by a committee.
The Bill ended Stage 2 on 22 November 2022
Timetable
The Parliament agreed that consideration of the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill at stage 2 be completed by 23 November 2022.
First meeting on amendments
Documents with amendments considered at the meeting held on 15 November 2022
First marshalled list of amendments at Stage 2 (984KB, pdf) posted 10 November 2022
First groupings of amendments at Stage 2 (1MB, pdf) posted 10 November 2022
Meeting on 15 November 2022
Second meeting on amendments
Documents with amendments considered at the meeting held on 22 November 2022.
Second marshalled list of amendments at Stage 2 (631KB, pdf) posted 17 November 2022
Second groupings of amendments at Stage 2 (299KB, pdf) posted 17 November 2022
Meeting on 22 November 2022
Bill as amended at Stage 2
Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill as amended at stage 2 (2MB, pdf) posted 22 November 2022
Additional information from the Scottish Government on the Bill following Stage 2
Revised Explanatory Notes
Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill revised explanatory notes (261KB, pdf) posted 20 December 2022
Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill revised explanatory notes (print version) (465KB, pdf) posted 15 December 2022
Explanation of the Bill
Supplementary Financial Memorandum
Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill supplementary financial memorandum (85KB, pdf) posted 07 December 2022
Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill supplementary financial memorandum (print version) (128KB, pdf) posted 07 December 2022
How much the Bill is likely to cost