Bills and Laws

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

Stage 1 - General principles

Committees examine the Bill and gather views. They produce reports before MSPs debate the Bill in the Chamber. MSPs then decide on the purpose (“general principles”) of the Bill.

The Bill ended Stage 1 on 27 October 2022

Committee Examination

The lead committee for this Bill is the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee

Find out more about this committee

Responses to the call for views

The call for views ended on 16 May 2022.

View the responses

Read the summary of short survey responses (555KB, pdf) posted 23 May 2022

Parliament agreed that consideration of the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill at Stage 1 be completed by 28 October 2022.

The lead committee published its Stage 1 Report on 6 October 2022.

The Stage 1 Debate will take place on 27 October 2022.

The Committee held an informal briefing with officials from the Scottish Government’s Bill Team on 15 March to better understand the provisions in the Bill before starting formal oral evidence at stage 1. The Committee will hear from the Cabinet Secretary at conclusion of its evidence taking.

Read the summary of the informal session with the Scottish Government officials (72KB, pdf) posted 26 May 2022

As agreed at its meeting of 15 March, the Committee held two informal, private engagement sessions with trans people and other stakeholders.

Read the summary of the private engagement sessions (251KB, pdf) posted 26 May 2022

On 7 June, the Committee took private evidence from an anonymous witness.

Read the notes from the private evidence from an anonymous witness (183KB, pdf) posted 22 June 2022

On 20 June, the Committee held two informal, private engagement sessions with members of parent support groups.

Read the summary of the private engagement sessions (197KB, pdf) posted 18 July 2022

On 27 June, the Committee held two informal, private engagement sessions with people with lived experiences.

Read the summary of the private engagement sessions (178KB, pdf) posted 18 July 2022

Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill and the Equality Act

Letter from the Convener of the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee to the Chair of the Women and Equalities Committee, 9 February 2023

Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill Section 35 Order

Letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Housing and Local Government to the Convener of the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee, 5 February 2023

Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill Section 35 Order

Letter from The Rt Hon Alister Jack MP, Secretary of State for Scotland to the Convener of the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee, 30 January 2023

Read all the correspondence received on this Bill