Chamber and committees

Therefore, there might be an unintended consequence in relation to someone who does not have a criminal conviction—I suppose that you might just say that that is life. How are vulnerable women protected in that circumstance? I am new to the committee today, but I have seen no evidence whatever that the false declaration issue has been looked at in the process.

When I asked the members of the previous panel about the Cass review, which is now in its interim stage, they suggested that we invite Hilary Cass to give evidence on the lack of routine and consistent data collection, which means that it is not possible to accurately track outcomes for children and young people, or to define the service models and workforce needs that are required for a more dignified approach to service delivery.

Should the GRA reform that we are considering be paused until we hear such evidence, get those views and receive the review’s full report? As far as I can see, we have not looked at data gathering in relation to the bill and the implications of not having that sort of data collection in Scotland. Catherine, would you like to start?

Would it be possible to reference for the committee the international comparisons that you have looked at with regard to sexual and reproductive rights, and to give details of how they cross over with the Cass review on children and young people? Were you talking specifically about education in Scotland or were you referencing an international comparison?

My question, which was for the panel in general and not Catherine Murphy specifically, was about delivering better services. The issue that I am interested in is not specifically about sexual and reproductive rights and the education of children; it is about how we gather data so that we can provide a really good service, and the workforce implications that might come from that.

It is really about the interim Cass report. The previous panel suggested that the committee should hear from Dr Hilary Cass, because her review has highlighted that there are issues around consistent and routine data collection, which have workforce and service delivery implications. Do you agree that the GRA reform should be paused so that we can take the report of that review into account when it is published?

I can explain. The review examines the increase in the number of referrals of children and young people to gender identity services in England. My question is specifically related to how, if that increase is reflected in Scotland, those services can be delivered in the right way and we have the workforce to deliver them. Sandy, would you like to come in?

What do you believe could be an alternative? Do you have a view on that, other than your black-and-white position on the removal of the requirement to provide medical evidence?

I have a comment, convener—

Okay.

It is my main question, and it links to the point that Jen Ang made.

Do you believe that there would be unintended consequences of not having a medical diagnosis, in that, as some people have highlighted, that might shield a criminal and provide them with an invisible cloak when it comes to their past, removing safeguards for vulnerable women?