Chamber and committees

I seek more clarification. Will people need a licence to rough shoot so that they do not get caught up in the way that you are talking about? If you are in cover, how do people know which dogs have flushed?

The letter from the Scottish Animal Welfare Commission does not state when the committee will have access to the results of the decision that the commission has taken to carry out more research and consider that evidence. It is almost as if the can is being kicked down the road on this. Unfortunately, the letter does not give us any clarity on the timetable so that we could consider the matter as part of our work programme.

Do people use the same types of dogs for trail hunting as for rough shooting?

Given that I have lodged amendments that would increase the period for which someone must live in the acquired gender to the status quo, I believe not only that the current Scottish Government proposal of a three-month period is inadequate but that the absence of any reflection period could lead to young and distressed people rushing into life-changing decisions that they may later regret. That is especially true if it is coupled with medical alterations such as hormone or puberty blockers and surgery. Furthermore, a reflection period could prevent so-called bad-faith actors from taking advantage of the changes and intruding into single-sex spaces.

Weakening the provisions in the bill would make it even worse, so I cannot support amendments 87 to 89. However, I am happy to support amendment 141, because I believe that it is important that the Scottish Government reviews the period for which a trans person is required to live in the acquired gender. I know that Maggie Chapman wishes to reduce the period and I want to increase it, but I think that we can find common ground and agree that reviewing the evidence will allow the Scottish Government to make a more informed decision in future.

My question is on a point of clarification. On 6 October, the committee agreed that interpretations of whether someone was living in the acquired gender could lead to reinforcement of gender stereotypes and that it would be unacceptable to enshrine that in law. Do you agree with that?

To clarify, will that be in the guidance for the registrar general? Will there be a definition of what it means to live in an acquired gender?

Cabinet secretary, I am very supportive of Sarah Boyack’s amendment and I am disappointed that you have highlighted its inconsistencies, despite the fact that Sarah Boyack said at the outset that it is a generalised and probing amendment. I think that it could be complemented by giving the Scottish ministers a duty to report on some of the issues that Sarah Boyack is trying to raise. The amendment complements the reporting requirements that Christine Grahame is seeking to introduce, as well as the provisions on data collection. Normally, the Scottish ministers are responsible for data collection.

I therefore ask you to change your mind, cabinet secretary, and to work with the Conservatives and Labour to find something on which we can all agree. Quite frankly, the process has not had much cross-party consensus, but this is one area where I think that we can work together.

I remind the member that we had a free vote in our party.

But that would not be in the bill.

Could I withdraw my vote on amendment 71? It was meant to be a yes. Is that possible? If not, I will just state that I supported it and that will be recorded in the Official Report. Sorry about that.