This is an HTML version of an attachment to the Freedom of Information request 'Meetings re implications for schools of reduction in age for seeking a Gender Recognition Certificate'.



services as they were not able to apply for a Gender Recognition Certificate 
(GRC).  
 
7.  Ms Robison agreed to invitation meet with the organisation’s young person’s 
group. 
 
8.  Stakeholders urged Ms Robison to consider international best practice around 
lowering the age to 16 years for applying for a GRC.  
 
Agenda Item Two: Conversion Practices 
  9.  Ms Robison mentioned that the Equality, Human Rights and Civil Justice 
Committee had been gathering written and oral evidence for their 
consideration of the petition on banning conversion therapy. She noted that 
research had been published alongside the UK Government’s consultation on 
banning conversion therapy. She acknowledged that some of the issues 
associated with banning conversion practices were not devolved matters and 
that the Scottish Government wanted to pursue both legislative and non-
legislative measures.  
 
10. Ms Robison said that the Scottish Government was establishing an Expert 
Advisory Group on Banning Conversion Practices which would be asked to 
agree a definition. The Group would include legal professionals, those with 
relevant expertise, and those with lived experience.  
 
11.
 stated it was vital that the remit of the Advisory Group be about 
how to end conversion therapy and not whether or not it should be banned. 
He also emphasised that it was vital to have at least one trans survivor on the 
Expert Advisory Group to give a perspective on trans conversion therapy.  
 
12. Ms Robison said the remit of the Expert Advisory Group would be about how 
to ban conversion therapy and she agreed lived experience important.  
 
13.
 welcomed a letter from MPs sent to Liz Truss MP on the UK 
plans to ban so-called conversion therapy. He said he considered the best 
international example of banning conversion practices came from Victoria, 
Australia. 
 agreed and stated it was important to cover the 
loopholes in the UK Government’s proposals such as the issue of consent. 
 
Agenda Item Three: Health 
  14.
 brought forward concerns that the mental health of 
LGBT people had worsened during the pandemic with many support services 
seeing significant increases in demand and that this was a significant area of 
inequality for LGBT people. Social media discourse stirred up by the GRA 
reform process was said to have had a particularly negative effect on the 
mental health of LGBTI people. Stakeholders were waiting to hear back about 
a meeting with the Minister for Mental Health.  
 
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15. Ms Robison acknowledged that the pandemic had exacerbated mental health 
issues and public discourse would not help and also understood that reform of 
GRA would heighten public discourse. Ms Robison stated that the Scottish 
Government’s Mental Health Transition and Recovery Plan set out a number 
of actions.  
 
Follow Up Actions 

 
1. Ms Robison agreed to reflect on how to challenge misinformation  surrounding the 
Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill.  
 
2. Ms Robison agreed to attend a meeting proposed by LGBT Youth Scotland with 
their young person’s group. 
 
3. SG officials wil  be clear that legislation to ban conversion practices wil  be 
introduced by the end of 2023. 
 
4. SG officials will confirm arrangements for the meeting between the Minister for 
Mental Wellbeing and LGBTI stakeholders.  
 
5. SG officials wil  provide an update on the progress of the Equality and Human 
Rights Forum for Mental Health. 
 
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