Debate contribution: Parliament Buildings: For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers
Debate contribution by Mrs Sinéad Ennis on .
- MLA
- Mrs Sinéad Ennis
- Party at the time
- Sinn Féin
- Date
- 10 March 2026
- Type
- Debate contribution
- Business
- Oral Answers to Questions
- Heading
- Parliament Buildings: For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5436559
Read the official Assembly record
Text
With your permission, a Phríomh-Leas-Cheann Comhairle
, I will answer questions 1 and 4 together. I thank the Members for their questions. On 26 April 2025, the Supreme Court issued its judgement on For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers, which held that the terms "man", "woman" and "sex" in the Equality Act 2010 refer to biological sex. Since then, the Assembly Commission has held a number of discussions on those matters. Whilst the Supreme Court judgement was not considering Northern Ireland legislation, it is acknowledged as a significant legal development that may have implications locally. As a consequence, the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland (ECNI) published a legal paper in June 2025 providing initial information for employers, service providers and public authorities. The Assembly Commission agreed to review its transgender policy and guidance following the ECNI's legal paper. A review was undertaken by officials, and findings were presented to the Assembly Commission in September 2025. Following that meeting, the Assembly Commission asked officials to consider further interim options regarding restroom provision in Parliament Buildings. The Assembly Commission discussed that at its meeting on 4 March 2026. The Assembly Commission sought further advice, and this will be brought back to the Assembly Commission at a future meeting. It is acknowledged that there are strongly held and differing views on these matters across the House, as there are on the Assembly Commission. It is a legally complex area, and the Assembly Commission is seeking agreement to manage its statutory responsibilities in an appropriate way.
254 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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