SCECLB315 Jackie Wakefield

Senedd Cymru | Welsh Parliament

Y Pwyllgor Biliau Diwygio | Reform Bill Committee

Bil Senedd Cymru (Rhestrau Ymgeiswyr Etholiadol)| Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill

Ymateb gan Jackie Wakefield | Evidence from Jackie Wakefield

What are your views on the general principles of the Bill and the need for legislation to deliver the Welsh Government’s stated policy objective (to make the Senedd a more effective legislature by ensuring it is broadly representative of the gender make-up of the population)?

Sex is what the population is made up of. It is important that men and women are distinguished by biological sex as doing otherwise enables anyone with nefarious ideas about women access to their spaces, their roles (under the Equality Act). See Scotland, Australia, USA, Canada where women's rights have been demoted to second class and taken over by men.

What are your views on the system of enforcement and potential sanctions for non-compliance proposed in the Bill?

Obviously if these things are not checked there will be men claiming to be women wishing to push women out of their protected status positions and (biological) women will once again be demoted to second class citizens. We do not have self ID as law in the UK and this is self ID by the back door.

Are there any potential barriers to the implementation of the Bill’s provisions? If so, what are they, and are they adequately taken into account in the Bill and the accompanying Explanatory Memorandum and Regulatory Impact Assessment?

Are any unintended consequences likely to arise from the Bill?

Women's protection under the Equality Act will be overridden by self ID by the back door. Women will have gained nothing and men would be in the same privileged position as always. Self ID is opening the door for disingenuous men to access female spaces which keep women safe. This is not acceptable and reprobates will take advantage of the situation. See Australia USA etc as evidence that this will happen.

What are your views on the Welsh Government’s assessment of the financial and other impacts of the Bill?

What are your views on the balance between the information contained on the face of the Bill and what is left to subordinate legislation? Are the powers for Welsh Ministers to make subordinate legislation appropriate?

Do you have any views on matters relating to the legislative competence of the Senedd including compatibility with the European Convention on Human Rights?

Do you have any views on matters related to the quality of the legislation, or to the constitutional or other implications of the Bill?

Are there any other issues that you would like to raise about the Bill and the accompanying Explanatory Memorandum or any related matters?

Anything else?