The Government is clear that we want people who are transgender to be able to live their lives as they wish. We believe that the process of legally changing one\u2019s gender is a serious and legally meaningful undertaking which requires appropriate checks and a level of formality.<\/p>
Home Office policy is to allow a customer to change their gender without requiring a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC), in line with the Equality Act 2010, which does not allow discrimination between people who have changed their gender through medical intervention, for example via surgery, and those who have not.<\/p>
Statements from medical consultants are accepted if they are registered on a medical website, can provide proof of their medical qualification and HM Passport examiners can verify; if not HM Passport Office examiners request another letter from another medical consultant if the original person cannot meet the necessary criteria.<\/p>
The Government has begun an internal review into name change more generally. The review is looking at the formal and informal methods by which someone can change their name provide assurance that, where necessary, appropriate safeguards exist.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4311", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Williams of Trafford"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Williams of Trafford"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2022-02-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2022-02-10T16:56:42.01Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2022-01-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Transgender People"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps the Home Office is taking to close safeguarding loopholes where a name is changed in relation to a change of gender.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4229", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Jenkin of Kennington"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Baroness Jenkin of Kennington"} ], "uin" : "HL5745"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1384141", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Women and Equalities"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1384141/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Equality Act 2010 provides protection against discrimination and unfair treatment on grounds of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation.<\/p>
My noble friend was of course speaking more generally rather than in relation to specific legal rights. We are committed to upholding Britain\u2019s long-standing record of protecting the rights of individuals against discrimination. The UK Government is committed to promoting equality for LGBT people at home and abroad and we continue to be recognised as one of the top 10 countries in Europe for LGBT rights. We are also clear that we want people who are transgender to be able to live their lives as they wish.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4174", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Stedman-Scott"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Stedman-Scott"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-12-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-12-15T15:36:05.8Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "31"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Women and Equalities"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Women and Equalities"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2021-12-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Transgender People"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the reply by Lord Sharpe of Epsom on 30 November (HL Deb, col 1274), what is their interpretation of the term 'gender identity'.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/2554", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Noakes"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Baroness Noakes"} ], "uin" : "HL4609"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1297040", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Cabinet Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1297040/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Ministerial and Other Maternity Allowances Act provides for maternity leave for mothers, irrespective of gender reassignment. We believe that all people should be treated with respect and their rights protected. We also believe in the compatibility of protecting women\u2019s rights and the rights of transgender people.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4200", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord True"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord True"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-03-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-03-15T14:42:23.33Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "53"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Cabinet Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Cabinet Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2021-03-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Transgender People"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by the Paymaster General on 1 March that \"trans men are men and trans women are women\", how they intend this phrase be understood.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1879", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Lucas"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Lucas"} ], "uin" : "HL13820"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1197893", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Women and Equalities"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1197893/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
As part of our engagement on the Gender Recognition Act 2004 (GRA), single-sex and separate-sex service providers were asked whether they felt confident interpreting the Equality Act 2010 with regards to providing services for transgender people. Many single-sex service providers reported that they felt confident doing so. We are also aware that others, including some campaign organisations, have highlighted a desire for greater clarity from the Government about the law and guidance in this area. We intend to say more on this when we publish our response to the GRA consultation.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4218", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Berridge"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Berridge"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-06-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-06-05T14:01:01.043Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "31"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Women and Equalities"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Women and Equalities"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2020-05-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Transgender People"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the clarity of the language relating to transgender issues in their publications and guidance; and what plans they have to take steps to clarify that language where issues have been identified.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1164", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne"} ], "uin" : "HL4858"} ], "itemsPerPage" : 10, "page" : 0, "startIndex" : 1, "totalResults" : 4, "type" : ["http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#ListEndpoint", "http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#Page"]} }