UPDATE FROM THE PARLIAMENTARY FORUM ON TRANSSEXUALISM

1. Matters arising from the minutes not covered elsewhere on the Agenda
   - Death Certificates Update
   The Forum had been in touch with a local registrar who had said that a trans-person would be registered on a death certificate under their gender at birth. As this is at odds with the correct position, which is that a trans-person can be registered in their correct gender at death. An entry in the death registers for England and Wales is a historic record of the facts as they were at the time of the event.
   
   Guidelines clarifying the correct legal position need to be produced. The Forum will conduct some research amongst registrars to get evidence of the confusion that exists about the correct position. This research will then be used to write to the Registrar General with good practice guidelines.
   
2. Police Guidelines on the employment of Trans-people
   The Forum will seek information on proposals for Association of Chief Police Officers guidelines. There are armed forces guidelines which may be of use for developing police guidelines.
3. Academic Studies and Good Practice
   
   Medical schools teaching material - responses from Deans to request for information
   A good proportion had responded to the letter from Lynne Jones on this issue. A summary of responses of the Deans will be available for the next meeting.
   
   Draft guidance to Health Authorities on the provision of care for Trans-people
   The Forum is still working on guidelines.
   
   A Forum member reported a visit to a hospital in Belfast (at their request because they are required to make provision for all minority groups as part of the Good Friday Agreement). There were concerns, for example, about the treatment of a trans-person through A&E. The visit was good, involving workshops and suggestions for action. HA guidelines need to make it clear at the start how trans-people should be dealt with when they present with medical conditions other than transsexualism.
   
   Lynne Jones has tabled Parliamentary Questions to the Department of Health on guidelines for the treatment of transsexualism and for the treatment of transsexual people in the health care system.
   
4. Campaigning to take forward the Departmental Working Group Report -
   Early Day Motion No 185 and 10 Minute Rule Bill
   
   Re: support for EDM. At the time of writing 51 MPs have signed, only 2 Tories, Tony Baldry and Malcolm Moss. Please ask your MP to sign if s/he is a Tory!
   
   10 Minute Rule Bill – a device for publicising the need for a change in legislation. The Forum needs to decide what actual legislative changes we want to see then we need a long and a short title, then Lynne Jones will try and get a slot in the Parliamentary timetable.
   

Date of next Meeting: Feb 2002