Regan welcomes Puberty Blocker Pause

ALBA Party Holyrood leader Ash Regan MSP has welcomed news that Scotland's only gender identity clinic for under 18s has paused prescribing puberty blockers to children.

Ms Regan has been demanding action from the Scottish Government in response to the publication of the final Cass Review.

Dr Hillary Cass’s review said children had been let down by a lack of research and there was "remarkably weak" evidence on medical interventions.

NHS England confirmed it would stop prescribing puberty blockers in March.

Puberty blockers work by suppressing the release of hormones that cause puberty and are often prescribed to children questioning their gender as a way of stopping physical changes such as breast development or facial hair.

Commenting ALBA Party Holyrood leader Ash Regan MSP said:

“I welcome this news and now expect the Scottish Government to finally make an urgent statement in parliament and to schedule a debate for next week to allow the valid concerns of many people across Scotland on this government’s response to Dr Cass’s 4-year review of Gender Identity Services to be addressed.

“The Scottish Government have spent this week refusing to engage with members of Parliament seeking to ask questions on this important matter. We must now have a timetable set out for when there will be a full response to the Cass Report recommendations.”