Achi news desk-
After being asked the question five times on Monday during a radio broadcast, the minister instead claimed he was “politicized and weaponised” against trans people.
Mr Harvie has been accused of siding with “ideology over clinical evidence”.
READ MORE: A vote of no confidence in Patrick Harvie could be held
Following a cabinet meeting on Tuesday at Holyrood, the Scottish Government spokesman was asked if the SNP wing of the government agreed with Mr Harvie on the Cass report.
The spokesman said: “This is all the more reason why it’s important that a decision like that, relating to treatment, medication, is made by clinicians.
“And that’s the very clear process.
“There is no doubt that to ensure the people who were first spoken to about this were the patients, the young people themselves.
“And so the families of such people were informed by the appropriate people from clinicians and that the announcement about this was made by the two relevant health boards.
“We always took the view that this was an issue that should be taken up by clinicians, not by politicians.”
Lorna Slater and Patrick Harvie were not at today’s cabinet briefing meeting, which is usual, although Greens ministers can be present if there are issues relevant to their portfolios.
The spokesperson was then asked if there is any dissatisfaction from the SNP branch of the government, given that one of the government ministers undermined that report and undermined the clinicians responsible for the report.
He refused to answer.
READ MORE: Green members call for ‘transformational’ rail travel
When asked if the Prime Minister had spoken to Mr Harvie on the matter, the spokesman said he did not know.
Dr Cass’s report, commissioned by NHS England, made a number of recommendations relating to the care of young people who consider themselves to be transgender.
In light of the review, the use of cross-sex hormones has been banned in England and by health boards in Scotland.
Meanwhile, Alba’s Holyrood party leader Ash Regan tabled a motion of no confidence in the minister.
The proposal would need support from another 25 MSPs before the vote could go ahead, a vote that Mr Harvie would very likely win given the combined numbers of the SNP and the Greens.
Ms Regan – who left the SNP for Alba last year – said: “The motion of no confidence speaks for itself.
“The Scottish Greens want to side with ideology over clinical evidence.
“I am hopeful that MLAs will put good governance first, ahead of party lines, and support the proposal.”
Fergus Ewing was banned from the party group at Holyrood for a week after voting for a similar motion to sack fellow Green leader and Government minister Lorna Slater.
This could mean that disciplinary action can be taken against those who challenge the SNP whip this time.
