Mark Drakeford backs Scottish gender recognition move

Wales should have a gender self-identification system similar to the one approved in Scotland, Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford has said.

The Scottish Parliament has backed a law which would make it easier for people to change their legal gender.

Mr Drakeford said Wales does not have the same powers as Scotland but would seek them from the UK government.

UK ministers have concerns about the law and a Welsh Conservative MS said he should "rule out" following Scotland.

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Last month, the Scottish Parliament approved new rules which lowered the age that people can apply for a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC) to 16, and removed the need for a medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria.

Scotland is the only nation in the UK to simplify the process of transitioning.

The UK government said it had concerns about the Scottish legislation and could seek to prevent it becoming law by blocking Royal Assent - when the bill gets formal agreement by the King and becomes an Act of the Scottish Parliament.

The Scottish government said any attempt by the UK government to block the law would be "vigorously contested".

Speaking in the Senedd on Tuesday, Mr Drakeford said that anyone who obtains a gender recognition certificate in Scotland and then comes to Wales would have that document "recognised here for all the purposes that you would expect it to be recognised for".

Mr Drakeford said he had spoken to Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon about the law and noted that it had been supported by "all political parties in the Scottish Parliament".

"We will seek the powers and, if we obtain those powers, we will put those powers to work here in Wales, and we will put proposals in front of this Welsh Parliament," he added.

The Welsh first minister was responding to a question from the Conservative MS Laura Anne Jones, who said there were "concerns" about the Scottish legislation after it was "rushed through" and asked Mr Drakeford to "rule out" such legislation in Wales.

Mr Drakeford refused to rule out the legislation and said he did not accept that Scotland's rule changes had been passed too quickly.

He later added that he was "surprised" by the UK government's reaction to the Scottish law.

"They are threatening to use a power that has never been used in the whole history of devolution," he said.

The UK government has been asked to comment.