Puberty Suppressants Trial

Lord Leong Excerpts

Thursday 18th December 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Falkner of Margravine (CB)]

My Lords—

[Lord in Waiting/Government Whip (Lord Leong) (Lab)]

My Lords, it is the turn of the Cross Benches.

[Baroness Falkner of Margravine (CB)]

My Lords, in the case that children cannot consent, which is widely acknowledged, given the age of the children, we know that single-parent consent will be permissible for the PATHWAYS trial. We also know from litigation to date on these vexed matters that parents are going to court to ascertain whether a single parent can consent to this. Will the Government review single-parent consent and insist that both parents must give consent to these potentially irreversible changes, where children’s consent is not possible?