Scotland Act 1998: Section 35 Power

Debate between Alister Jack and Aaron Bell

Tuesday 17th January 2023 Commons Chamber

[Aaron Bell (Newcastle-under-Lyme) (Con)]

I welcome the order the Secretary of State made today. I am sure that the legislation passed by Holyrood was well intentioned, but in their unwillingness—I do not know whether this was stubbornness or naivety—to accept that there will be a tiny minority of bad actors, passing that Bill without the amendments proposed by my hon. Friend the Member for Moray (Douglas Ross) and his colleagues means that the Scottish Government are putting the sex-based rights of women and girls across the UK at risk. Is that not the point: this is affecting not just Scotland, but women and girls across the UK?

[Mr Jack]

Yes, indeed.