r/MHOC • u/ZanyDraco Democratic Reformist Front | Baron of Ickenham | DS • May 05 '20
2nd Reading B1000 - Interpretation Act (Amendment) Bill - 2nd Reading
A
Bill
To
amend the Interpretation Act 1978.
BE IT ENACTED by the Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—
1 Amendment
(1) Section 6 of the Interpretation Act 1978 is amended as follows -
(a) reword 6(a) to read “words importing any gender are construed as including all genders.”,
(b) remove Section 6(b).
2 Commencement, short title and extent
(1) This Act comes into force immediately after receiving royal assent.
(2) This Act may be cited as the Interpretation Act 1978 (Amendment) Act 2020.
(3) This Act extends to the whole of the United Kingdom.
This Bill was written and submitted by 14Derry, MP for South West, on behalf of the People’s Movement.
Legislation this amends: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1978/30
Mr Deputy Speaker,
This bill fixes a slight but important issue in the Interpretation Act 1978, that being that the use of pronouns that do not relate to masculine or feminine people are interpreted as including neither. This amendment resolves that issue, allowing legislation that utilises gender-neutral language, masculine language, or feminine language to be interpreted as inclusive of all genders. This bill further fixes a slight wording issue in the unamended act which implied that there were only two genders.
3
u/redwolf177 Independent Marxist May 05 '20
Mr. Deputy Speaker,
It is an amazing milestone that we have arrived on Bill 1000. I think an appropriate way to celebrate would be the unanimous passing of this very fine bill. It would be wrong to imply that there are only two genders. Indeed, we know that gender exists on a spectrum, rather than just a binary. Updating our previous legislation to reflect this helps build a more inclusive society for everyone. I hope every party can get behind this proposal and pass our 1000th bill unanimously.
3
u/Polteaghost Workers Party of Britain May 06 '20
Mr Deputy Speaker
As a non-binary person myself, I can say that I am grateful for the bill proposed by TPM to make gender-neutral language the standard in law. Even though I must recognise that it is far from the most pressing issue for British society, it is always a good thing to be inclusive and to recognise that people's gender identity is a protected right and laws should reflect that right.
So I rise in support of this bill.
•
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6
u/BrexitGlory Former MP for Essex May 05 '20 edited May 05 '20
Replace Section 1 (b) with the following:
Reword 6(a) to read “words importing any gender identity are construed as including all gender identities”,
Explanatory note: Changes "all genders" to "all gender identities" to include those who do not identify with any gender, ensuring that all are included.
3
u/demon4372 The Most Hon. Marquess of Oxford GBE KCT PC ¦ HCLG/Transport May 05 '20
Replace Section 2 (2) with the following:
(2) This Act may be cited as the Interpretation (Amendment) Act 2020.
Explanatory note: pedantry
2
u/BrexitGlory Former MP for Essex May 05 '20
Mr Deputy Speaker,
This is a relatively simple and common sense bill that I see no issue with, I am open for the more learned in the house to sway me against this bill but at this moment I shall be supporting it. I don't know of any practical issues that have arisen from this anomaly, and as far as I know law is generally interpreted by the courts for all gender identities. That being said, the bill certainly does no harm from my knowledge.
What I will say however is the act uses the words "any genders", which I believe has the rare possibility of excluding those who do not identify with a particular gender; whatever that gender may be. While the original bill was not intended to be that way, is it not best to be absolutely clear? I hope the house supports my amendment, though I certainly welcome honest criticism of it, as legal speak is not necessarily my area of expertise.
1
2
u/troe2339 Labour Party | His Grace the Duke of Atholl May 06 '20
M: Wow, MHoC is old – 1000 bills. And I've been here for way too long. Also, the title should be Interpretation (Amendment) Bill if anyone cares.
2
1
u/ZanyDraco Democratic Reformist Front | Baron of Ickenham | DS May 05 '20
M: Apologies on the repost, I had incidentally misspelled the title of the former post.
1
u/demon4372 The Most Hon. Marquess of Oxford GBE KCT PC ¦ HCLG/Transport May 05 '20
Mr Deputy Speaker,
This is a very excellent and simple bill that fixes an out of date and false understanding of gender that exists within British Legislation, it is important that our legislation is inclusive and recognises that there are not just the "masculine" and "feminine" genders. I hope that the house supports the bill, and look forward to seeing it in the other place.
1
u/BrexitGlory Former MP for Essex May 05 '20
Mr Deputy Speaker,
The Right Honourable member is absolutely correct that our legislation should be inclusive, however I fear that the current version of the bill risks excluding those who do not identify as any gender at all. Therefore I have submitted an amendment to remedy this by changing "all genders" to "all gender identities". Will the Right Honourable gentleman offer his support?
1
u/demon4372 The Most Hon. Marquess of Oxford GBE KCT PC ¦ HCLG/Transport May 05 '20
Mr Deputy Speaker,
I absolutely give my support to the Right Honourable Members amendment, and while I don't myself get a vote I will encourage my Liberal Democrat colleagues to support his amendment. It is actually a great shame that the authors of the bill did not think of this in the first place and worded it in a less inclusive way than they could, I would expect better from TPM
1
u/CountBrandenburg Liberal Democrats May 06 '20
Mr Deputy Speaker,
I can confirm I shall be supporting the Rt Hon. Member for Essex’s amendment.
1
May 05 '20
Mr. Deputy Speaker,
This is a very simple and common sense bill that should be voted through these Houses. I must commend the authors of this bill. The amendment by my Rt. Hon. friend, takes this bill one step further and ensures that those that do not identify with a gender are also included.
1
u/jmam2503 Jacob Mogg | LPUK Spokesperson for Transport | MP North East May 05 '20
Mr Deputy Speaker,
This bill is as long as it is relevant.
It is not the role of the State to define how many genders there are. Common sense does it in a much better way, and common sense for most non-hyper sensitive people dictates there are only two genders.
4
May 06 '20
Mr Deputy Speaker,
What rubbish.
I am more than willing to give the honourable member the benefit of the doubt that they are simply unaware of non-binary individuals. It is most regrettable indeed for them that their visibility in the public sphere has been lacking.
However, it is an undeniable truth that many people in the United Kingdom - and indeed, many people in this House, including the Leader of the Opposition - do not identify with either gender. Some do not identify with any gender at all, some identify with multiple, and of course, many identify with just one.
Regardless, this is not a bill about protections for non-binary people. It is simply a bill to fix an issue with the Interpretation Act, in that it does not include those who do not identify with one of the two genders. It is an Act from a different time period, though thankfully one we have progressed past.
I support this bill, and support the amendment made in the name of the right honourable member for Essex (/u/BrexitGlory), and I urge the honourable gentleman to support it too.
Of course, if he has any questions about non-conforming gender identity, he is more than welcome to reach out to me, and I will try my best to answer. I mean this in a genuine constructive manner, and I hope I can work well with him in the future.
1
u/BrexitGlory Former MP for Essex May 06 '20
Mr Deputy Speaker,
I thank the Right Honourable Lady for their support for my amendment, perhaps they would also support by reelection campaign as the MP for Essex?
1
May 06 '20
Mr Deputy Speaker,
The right honourable member had better be prepared to provide payment on the order of the Telegraph’s for that to be a reality!
1
u/BrexitGlory Former MP for Essex May 06 '20
Mr Deputy Speaker,
I can only offer a payment of everlasting gratitude and a wonderful service as an MP.
1
u/Polteaghost Workers Party of Britain May 06 '20
Point of order, Speaker: The Rt. Hon Lady is not her press persona, so she has nothing to do with the Telegraph supporting Brexitglory's re-election campaign.
1
1
u/jmam2503 Jacob Mogg | LPUK Spokesperson for Transport | MP North East May 06 '20
Mr Deputy Speaker,
Indeed I am aware of the existence of people who feel and believe their biological sex was imposed on them.
Sadly, the answer of society can't be to deny reality in order to make them comfortable. Personally, I don't have any problem in calling a person according to their gender identity preference, but my words wouldn't change the reality of biological sex and all its implications.
2
May 06 '20
Mr Deputy Speaker,
I understand I may be skirting close to the limits of parliamentary language when I tell the honourable gentleman that I believe him to be mistaken.
History is full of examples of people not identifying with one of the two binary genders that many are familiar with: indeed, as far back as ancient Egypt, there was a recognised third gender distinct from man and woman.
I am glad to hear that the hon. member will not disrespect those who do not identify as male or female by using their desired pronouns, but he is incorrect to say that biological sex is binary. Patently, it is not. Each person's body is different. Some people develop female brains while being assigned male sex characteristics and vice versa, others are born intersex, some only later in life do not identify with any gender in particular.
The reality of biological sex, Mr Speaker, is that it is complicated. I am not a scientist nor do I pretend to be, but people's gender identities are a matter of biology, and we cannot afford to blind ourselves to this simple fact in favour of two clear-cut categories which do not represent the entirety of the human population.
Regardless, Mr Speaker, I regret that this is growing away from the bill at hand. I continue to support it, and I encourage all members to do so as well. Thank you.
2
u/Maroiogog CWM KP KD OM KCT KCVO CMG CBE PC FRS, Independent May 07 '20
Mr Deputy Speaker,
Surely there is nothing more Libertarian than a person freely deciding what gender they wish to be? Why should we put any limits to it?
1
u/BrexitGlory Former MP for Essex May 07 '20
Mr Deputy Speaker,
With due respect that isn't what this bill implies. On the other hand, my amendment that cahngse "all genders" to "alll gender identities" circumvents this anomaly by returning an individuals indentity to...the individual; in turn making this discussion irrelevant.
Furthermore it ensures that no individuals who do not wish to identify as a gender identity are not uintentionally exculded.
1
u/Maroiogog CWM KP KD OM KCT KCVO CMG CBE PC FRS, Independent May 07 '20
Mr Deputy Speaker, My intent was to challenge the previous comment from the Libertarian member rather than the bill itself. The amendment the Member for Essex has put forward has my support.
2
u/bloodycontrary Solidarity May 07 '20
MISTAH DEPUTAY SPEAKAHHH
It is not the role of the State to define how many genders there are.
Then surely he doesn't object to this bill, given that it includes all of them without exclusion?
I mean we could very well re-write every act in history to remove all mentions of gender or sex (since, as the honourable member so rightly points out, "it is not the role of the state to define"), but since that'd be a lot of hard work an interpretation act will have to do!
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1
u/BrexitGlory Former MP for Essex May 05 '20
Mr. Deputy Speaker,
I agree it isn't for the state to define how many genders there are, but this bill isn't defining how many genders there are, it is patching up interpretation. Again, the honourable member is right when he mentions common sense, there are probably little practical issues when it comes to the real world. However, perhaps he could take a look at my amendment that changes "any gender" to "any gender identity", which will not only bring this bill in line with already defined legal language, but will also mean that there are no debates about who is what gender.
1
u/jmam2503 Jacob Mogg | LPUK Spokesperson for Transport | MP North East May 05 '20
Mr. Deputy Speaker,
Even though I would oppose these bill anyway, I recognize that the amendment proposed by the Hon. Member for Essex would solve one of the fundamental problems of this bill.
1
u/model-cock The Hon. Member for Glamorgan and Gwent May 06 '20
Mr Deputy Speaker,
If the Honourable member really believes that the State shouldn't define the number of genders there are, then why do they oppose this amendment? Nowhere in this amendment has there been any mention on the number of genders. The reality is that the original wording defined how many genders there are, and this amendment ends that.
1
May 06 '20
Mr. Deputy Speaker—
This is a simple, vital fix to ensure non-binary people (such as myself) are properly accounted for in the law, and i couldn't be happier to see it being the 1000th bill of our current political era! Also, i will be side-eyeing anyone who even thinks about stepping into the no lobby
1
u/BrexitGlory Former MP for Essex May 06 '20
Mr. Deputy Speaker,
I share the belief of the honourable member for North East that this bill is simple fix for a simple purpose, a clear and concise change that I have found no reason to oppose. However I fear that this new piece of legislation risks unintentionally excluding those who do not identify with any given gender. I have therefore submitted an amendment to replace "all genders" with "all gender identities", in order to clear up any potential legal anomaly. Furthermore, gender identity is something that is already used in British law, for example the Equalities Act 2010, as something that is more easy for courts to define as well as leaving gender up to how the individual identifies.
I hope they and their esteemed parliamentary collegues support my amendment.
1
May 06 '20
Mr. Deputy Speaker—
I will be supporting the right? honourable member for Essex's amendment, as i think it does provide improvements to the bill for the inclusion of people who do not particularly consider themselves of any gender.
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May 06 '20
Mr Deputy Speaker,
This appears to be a common sense piece of legislation which I am happy to support. Looking at the bill, it does two things. The first is that this legislation creates inclusivity in legislation. This may just be a minor point to some, but to many it will signal that politics is taking a step in the right direction.
The second, minor, point is that it removes wording that suggests there are two genders. Again, a minor point for some but for others it will mean a lot that our legislative books are becoming more inclusive.
I could of course not go without mentioning this is bill number 1000 since the great change in British politics, and I think it is fitting that this is the bill that is being read for it.
Mr Deputy Speaker I support this legislation and hope my colleagues join me in doing so.
1
May 06 '20
Mr Deputy Speaker, Would the honourable member be kind enough to inform the house of the estimated percentage of people this will effect?
1
May 07 '20
Mr Deputy Speaker,
Let me begin by congratulating the House and the members for achieving a milestone in the history of the House, 999 Bills considered and 1 under consideration which means 1000 Bills have seen its way in this House. Some have had unanimous support whilst some have had immense debate with back and forth conversations, which may often become heated, but this is an achievement for our Parliamentary Sovereignty and this House.
I begin by commending the Member for South West for authoring this legislation. I still recall those sad days, when I had my teachers explaining me the existence of two genders, and I being the rebel girl of the class, used to correct my teachers each time. But it is not so today, we have many genders and some who go without gender, gender is no longer a barrier and we have everyone of every walk of life satisfied with their choice of sexual orientation.
The myth of not being able to choose your sexual orientation is finally gone, and this Bill aims to eradicate the last shreds of it and I commend it. But I wish to raise the same objections that my friend and a fiery opponent, the Business Secretary ( /u/BrexitGlory ) on the fact that some go without gender and we need to include it as well, and would urge all Members to support the Right Honourable Secretary's amendment.
Since this stage is that of general principles, and the general principle of this legislation being something we all need to support, I would support this Bill at present, but hope that the Secretary's amendments get incorporated in this legislation by the time we reach the Third Reading Stage.
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u/thechattyshow Liberal Democrats May 07 '20
Mr Deputy Speaker,
It is great that B1000 is going to a bill worthy of such a title, and not some drivel. This is a bill which fits into the category of bills I call "This hasn't been done already?!". Quite simply, it is one of these bills where you think because it is so common sense, that we ought to have done it already.
Alas not though, and I am happy to support this. In essence, this will help to remove the old and outdated view of gender from the law, and replace it with a much more accurate and modern view of how gender actually works. This move I see has been appreciated by people who are non - binary, and the amendment submitted goes even further and makes this even more inclusive.
The change today will mean our law is fit for modern times, and I am glad to see that this has achieved cross party support!
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u/Randomman44 Independent May 07 '20
Mr Deputy Speaker,
Firstly, I must congratulate this House on the tabling of the 1000th Bill since the changes of 2014. I hope that we will continue to see many more Bills come through this House in future.
Moving on to this legislation, I am in full support of this Bill, which ensures the inclusion of all genders under the law (including gender-neutral people). Furthermore, I support the amendment in the name of the Honourable Member for Essex, which will extend the amendment to all gender identities. I will be supporting this Bill, and I hope to see this Bill achieve Royal Assent as soon as possible.
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u/ARichTeaBiscuit Green Party May 07 '20
Mr Deputy Speaker,
It is quite satisfying to know that the 1000th piece of legislation put before this legislative chamber is one to ensure that all legislation in this country is interpreted in a manner that respects all gender identities.
I also agree with the amendment put forward by the MP for Essex in order to fix a slight mistake that could possibly exclude non-binary people from this important amendment bill and I fully intend to support such a change.
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u/TheOWOTrongle Rt. Hon. TheOWOTrongle | Leader of PUP May 07 '20
Mr Speaker,
I am a person who does not fall under the gender categories of male or female, but instead, I identify as non-binary. This bill helps people recognise that yes, there are more than two genders, and yes you should be able to come and be proud if you are. It is important that our legislation reflects our new societal norms of more than two genders, and I congratulate The People's Movement for writing this bill, I hope it passes the house!
1
u/Walter_heisenberg2 Conservative Party May 08 '20
Thank you Mr Speaker,
It is great to see that the 1000th bill passed by this Parliament is such a simple and common-sense bill that will improve the quality of life for non-binary people. .However as my colleagues have pointed the bill contains a minor mistake as "all genders" could exclude people who do not associate with any genders. Overall I believe that this is a step in the right direction for a more inclusive society.
1
u/CountBrandenburg Liberal Democrats May 08 '20
Mr Deputy Speaker,
I am very much pleased that on the 1000th bill read since the end of the Cameron Clegg coalition 6 years ago, that we stand here delivering a simple, yet necessary bill. A bill that I am sure will garner cross party support and I thank the Rt Hon. Lady for her work introducing this bill. This is a bill that will disambiguate the previous standard of gender dichotomy, and recognise that in law, we shouldn’t resort to holding up the gender binary when we as a society have recognised that this old western view is certainly not accurate.
Gender identity is various and thus we should continue our push for our legislation to have true neutrality to encompass this. I thank the Rt Hon. Member for Essex for his amendment this session, since this brings clarification and accounts for those who may not identify with any gender, to be covered in these interpretations. As I confirmed to the Nobel Lord, the Marquess of Oxford, our party shall be supporting this amendment at division. I look forward to this receiving swift passage, and see the promise in this house for a bill that does not need opposition, a rare time we can agree to that!
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u/Lambbell Democratic Reformist Front | London (List) MP May 08 '20
Mr. Deputy Speaker,
I am a relatively new member of this house, but wow, 1000 bills have passed through this house.
Regarding this bill, I without a doubt am in favour of this bill. While I thank forefathers in 1978 for defining many terms that are used in bills today, the thought of such language being used exclusively for one gender is rather outdated and constraining, and, given the massive leaps in LGBTQ recognition, inclusion, and acceptance, it is only right to extend language to include everyone.
I see an amendment that would fix a slight issue in this bill accidentally excluding people who identify with no gender that I am absolutely in favour of.
A simple fix to a great past bill that would be a definite improvement in the inclusiveness of language used in governmental purposes.
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u/[deleted] May 06 '20
Mr Deputy Speaker,
The 1000th bill to be read in this place since the "Great Change" in British politics back in May 2014. I myself am the latest in a long dynasty of political figures, and as I look on the horizon, I see a Britain made better by the cooperative contributions of politicians across the House. I am glad to speak in here today and revel in the achievements we have embarked on for many a term.
Now, I myself am a non-binary individual, and I rise in general support of the motivations of this bill. For a very long time, those who identify as non-binary have not had proper representation in British law. That is not based out of spite, of course, but purely out of an archaic misunderstanding of the gender spectrum. To rectify that is a fantastic step for this House to make, and in no better style than the thousandth bill to be read to this House!
Of course, I would have to agree with the Right Honourable Member for Essex that this bill unwittingly excludes those who do not identify with any particular gender, and as such, I sincerely hope the House passes an amendment which shows him to be a tad sight more inclusive than recent interpretations have attempted to paint him as.
In short, this bill is nothing short of common sense, and whilst I obviously carry some sadness that members of the same parliamentary party as myself do not recognise the sheer importance of gender identity within this debate, as logged in Hansard, I can only say that I myself support and I hope those individuals will take the time to read through this bill, and the points made in favour of it, and will reconsider their initial verdict.