Achi news desk-
He promised that any evaluation would be quick.
The Prime Minister’s comments came as he was asked about the review by Dr Hilary Cass into how NHS England dealt with young people questioning their gender identity.
One of the central conclusions in the 400 page report was that there was no good evidence to support the practice of prescribing the medication to those under 18 years of age.
READ MORE: Cass review, transgender clinics, and ‘toxic’ debate
Children south of the border no longer routinely receive such treatment.
A number of campaigners and politicians, including SNP MP Joanna Cherry, Alba Party MP Ash Regan and Scottish Tory deputy leader Meghan Gallacher, have called for a review.
Speaking to BBC Radio Scotland on Tuesday, Mr Yousaf said: “Every recommendation that Dr Cass makes will be considered as part of that consideration of the whole report including the recommendations that she makes made in relation to adolescent arresters, and that is one element of the recommendations that Dr Cass makes.
“There are a number of recommendations – all of which will be considered.”
While the recommendation is being considered, clinicians rather than politicians should prescribe treatments, added the First Minister.
“I promise we won’t take too long to consider,” he said.
“But it’s fine when there’s a report of nearly 400 pages when you include the appendices, this is a report that we should take some time over, that clinicians should take their time over when it comes to deciding the a way forward for some of our most vulnerable, marginalized young people.”
London’s Tavistock gender identity clinic closed earlier this year
But the First Minister said there was no reason to close Scotland’s equivalent clinic at Sandyford in Glasgow.
“Sandyford provides, we know, some exceptional healthcare for some of the most marginalized and vulnerable… not just young people, but we know, across the spectrum.
“At the same time, one of the key recommendations relates to perhaps more regional health centres.
“So that is something that is worth considering, worth exploring and we will take some time to consider that in relation to Dr Cass’s review.”
READ MORE: Dani Garavelli: JK Rowling’s tweets on the transgender community felt cruel for nothing
During the interview, Mr Yousaf also criticized the Scottish Tory motion calling for the repeal of Scotland’s new hate crime law.
When asked if it was time to look again at the Hate Crime and Public Order Act, Mr Yousaf said: “Absolutely not. I mean what we’ve seen with the introduction of the Hate Crimes Act in the first week, in the first few days in particular, was a series I think of dishonest actors who decided to submit vexatious complaints in order to try to waste police. time which is quite a serious matter.”
When asked if the number of “vexing” complaints was a sign that the law was too vague, the First Minister replied: “No, it’s quite clear actually. The law, which is part of the law of course, the law consolidates the existing hate crime law that already existed.”
He added: “Let’s go back to why we have a Hate Crime Act. We have a Hate Crime Act because in 2021/22, we had almost 7000 reports of hate crime.
“And those are reports of people being abused because of their race, because of the disability, because of their sexuality, because they are Jewish or Muslim, because of their religion and for a whole range of other characteristics.
Asked why biological sex was not classified as a protected characteristic, Mr Yousaf said it was a decision taken by MSPs after representations from groups including Women’s Aid, Zero Tolerance Scotland, Engender and Rape Crisis Scotland.
“They thought it was too narrow a framework to encompass the very broad pervasive nature of misogyny,” he said.
“And they thought a stand-alone bill would be much better and of course we have consulted on a stand-alone bill that would cover certain offenses that are covered by hate crime acts such as statutory aggravation, incitement hatred against women and girls but it goes further than that.”
When asked if the misogyny law would cover trans women, Mr Yousaf said it would “because they are often the ones who suffer from threats of rape, for example, or threats of mutilation”.
“Maybe a trans woman, for example, when they’re walking down the street and a threat of rape is made against them, the man who threatens sexual violence against them doesn’t know if they across a woman, they will make that threat very simply because their perception of that person is a woman,” Mr Yousaf added.
READ MORE: Review of sex services for children offers lessons for Scotland
Ms Gallacher said: “Once again, this interview exposed the painfully weak leadership of Humza Yousaf.
“On the Cass Review, they failed vulnerable young people and their parents by delaying time and passing the money to clinicians.
“It is not good enough to say that he and health boards need more time to look at Dr Cass’s report, and he rejects leadership not to hesitate to prescribe adolescent inhibitors in the meantime.
“The First Minister says that a variety of options are being considered, yet guaranteeing evidence-based treatment for Scotland’s youth or closing Sandyford does not appear to be among them.
“Humza Yousaf also took no responsibility for the chaos his Hate Crimes Act has created – and instead accused the public of wasting the police’s time with tiresome complaints.
“He was warned that his flawed law would lead to a flood of complaints – but, not only did he ignore the warnings, his SNP Government launched a £400k publicity campaign encouraging people to report incidents to the police. Now he has pigs to wring his hands at the pigs feet that follow.
“Humza Yousaf should be removing this law, rather than doubling it.”
