stewartb
Glad that one interviewee on C4 News tonight confirmed that the UK already accepts GRCs from countries that operate a self-ID procedure!
See: HM Courts and Tribunal Service – Guidance: Gender Recognition Certificate: list of approved countries and territories (Updated 21 December 2022)
‘If you’ve HAD YOUR GENDER PREVIOUSLY RECOGNISED IN ONE OF THE COUNTRIES OR TERRITORIES IN THIS LIST, you’re on the ‘overseas route’. this means YOU DO NOT NEED TO PROVIDE MEDICAL REPORTS when applying for gender recognition in the UK.
‘If the country or territory is not on this list or you do not have a legal document showing your gender recognition, you’re on the ‘main route’ and must provide additional documents to apply.’
As many countries on this approved list operate a self-ID gender recognition procedure, the implications of the guidance seems clear: it indicates that a gender recognition certificate will be issued by the relevant UK government authority WITHOUT any need for medical evidence IF the applicant is in possession of a GRC from an approved country, EVEN IF that country has issued a GRC based on self-ID.
So today’s veto looks like an intention selectively to discriminate against trans people normally resident in Scotland when compared to how the UK government presently treats trans people in the UK with self-ID based GRCs issued by certain other (‘foreign’) countries.
Talking-up Scotland 
To update the above blog post, I have now become aware of this ‘Written Ministerial Statement to Parliament regarding the Gender Recognition Act (2004) consultation’, by Minister for Women and Equalities, Kemi Badenoch MP dated 9 January 2023:
It includes (with my emphasis): ‘I would like to notify the House of THE PROGRESS WE ARE MAKING IN IMPLEMENTING OUR 2020 RESPONSE to the Gender Recognition Act (2004) consultation. In particular, the House will wish to be aware that I will be UPDATING THE LIST OF APPROVED OVERSEAS COUNTRIES AND TERRITORIES (provided for under Section 1(1)(b) of the Gender Recognition Act) to make sure it does not compromise the integrity of the Gender Recognition Act. This follows previous periodic updates.’
‘The list of approved overseas countries and territories was LAST UPDATED IN 2011. A commitment was made to keeping the list under review.’
In 2011? But the last updated guidance was published by the UK Courts and Tribunal Service in December 2022 and STILL included countries which had self-ID GRC procedures!
The UK government’s statement also has this: ‘There are now some countries and territories on the list who have made changes to their systems since then and would not now be considered to have equivalently rigorous systems. It should not be possible for a person who would not satisfy the criteria to obtain UK legal gender recognition to use the overseas recognition route to obtain a UK Gender Recognition Certificate. This would damage the integrity and credibility of the process of the Gender Recognition Act.
‘WE ARE FINALISING DETAILS OF OVERSEAS COUNTRIES AND TERRITORIES TO BE REMOVED FROM THE LIST via an affirmative Statutory Instrument. These comprise countries and territories where there is a clear indication that the country now no longer has a system at least as rigorous as those in the Gender Recognition Act 2004. We are undertaking a thorough checking system to verify our understanding of each overseas system in question.’
Source https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/written-ministerial-statement-to-parliament-regarding-the-gender-recognition-act-2004-consultation
So – to take a crucial example – what will happen to those individuals with a GRC issued by the government of Ireland through a self-ID procedure and who presently enjoy a broad range of reciprocal arrangements granted by the UK and Irish governments as part of the Common Travel Area?
Will an Irish GRC not be recognised in the UK or just not recognised in Great Britain? Will an Irish GRC still be recognised in NI? (If so, will the DUP be outraged at such differentia treatment of NI relative to GB?)
LikeLiked by 2 people
It is abundantly clear Badenoch had been instructed to clear the way of mines prior to Jack’s announcement…
Making a statement and actually making changes are two separate matters, and the repercussions from such a change would be a minefield in itself.
LikeLike
So, just what the heck (self-imposed restraint) are Tory UK gov up to?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Alister Jack, JK Rowling and their feminist supporters would have you believe that had Scotland’s GRC legislation reached Royal Assent hundreds of 16yo Trans, bogus Trans and sexual predators would at this moment be amassed at the Border waiting to launch their evil intentions on unsuspecting women’s spaces in England. After all respective Tory and Labour Westminster Governments, Religious bodies have worked hard to support and embrace women’s rights, equal pay and women’s suffrage over the decades (snigger) to have these brought to a shuddering halt by this GRC Bill.
Let them be clear the opponents to this bill have long expressed their concerns to all the other 41 countries that have enacted this legislation and the real threat this poses to those treasured equal rights so we must be ever thankful Wesiminster has brought some sense to the proceedings. IT HAS NOTHING WHATSOEVER TO DO WITH UNDERMINING THE SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT.
LikeLike