ALISTER Jack has snubbed an invitation to provide evidence at a Holyrood committee on his decision to prevent Scotland’s gender reform legislation from becoming law.
The UK Government issued a Section 35 order to block the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill from receiving royal assent.
It has been branded a “full frontal attack” on Scotland’s democracy by the First Minister.
Now, Jack has said it is not his “job” to appear before the Scottish Parliament’s Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee.
He confirmed that he “won’t be speaking to the Equalities Committee” because “my job is constitutional.”
MSPs have been told that Kemi Badenoch – the UK Government’s Women and Equalities minister – is the appropriate minister to invite.
.@ScotSecofState has told us he is unable to attend our meeting on Tuesday. He has suggested that @KemiBadenoch, Minister for Women and Equalities, is the appropriate Minister to invite, which we have now done: https://t.co/vjDSOO0TvK
— Equalities, Human Rights & Civil Justice Committee (@SP_EHRCJ) January 19, 2023
Earlier this week Badenoch expressed concerns about legislation which seeks to ban conversion therapy for transgender people.
She said it must not “inadvertently criminalise parents who are trying to support children.”
SNP MSP Emma Roddick branded Jack an “absolute disgrace” for refusing to meet with MSPs.
She said: “It is an absolute disgrace that Alistair Jack is refusing to explain himself to the democratically elected parliament of Scotland - about why he has chosen to veto a bill overwhelmingly passed by them.
“He clearly knows there is no grounds for a Section 35 order and he has run out of ways to defend Westminster's full frontal attack on devolution.
“It is beyond question that he should appear before the Scottish Parliament to explain his Tory Government’s unprecedented attack on democracy.
“People across Scotland will be left with no other option than to conclude that the Secretary of State for Scotland is chicken. It turns out his offer to work together was nothing more than a cheap headline.
"Devolution is not about what the Tory UK Government decides is 'perfectly acceptable' law, it is about the clear-cut powers of the Scottish Parliament – perhaps the Tories should reflect on that.
"If the Tory UK government doesn't immediately revoke its section 35 order, then it is clear there has never been a more dangerous time for devolution or necessary time to become independent and escape Westminster control for good."
Maggie Chapman, equalities spokesperson for the Scottish Greens, also denounced Jack for shirking away from the scrutiny of Holyrood.
"Alister Jack blocked gender recognition reform on entirely spurious political grounds,” she said.
"When he was asked about it in Westminster his response was pathetic. He could not answer the most basic questions.
"The very least he can do is speak to the committee and try to explain this unprecedented decision."
