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Mr. Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the working group on the rights andtreatment of transsexual prisoners; and what guidelines he proposes. [84267]Mr. George Howarth: The legal status of transsexual people, including prisoners, is being reviewed by the inter-departmental workinggroup announced in the reply given by my right hon. Friend, the Home Secretary to my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, SellyOak (Dr. Jones) on 14 April 1999, Official Report,column 257. The Prison Service's directorate of health care is currently drawing up guidelines for the care, management andtreatment of prisoners with gender dysphoria which it is expected will be issued to Prison Service establishments before the workinggroup reports its findings to Ministers. The content of the guidelines will be revised, if appropriate, in the light of the outcomeof the Government's consideration of the working group's report. |