Court Battle Over Definition Of 'woman' Has Cost Taxpayers More Than £766,000 - Beritaja

The Scottish authorities has spent much than £766,000 of taxpayers' money successful its long-running ineligible conflict complete the meaning of a woman.

For Women Scotland (FWS) won the lawsuit past April erstwhile the UK's highest tribunal ruled "woman" and "sex" successful the Equality Act 2010 mention to "a biologic female and biologic sex".

The Scottish authorities was ordered to salary a information of the run group's ineligible costs, pinch FWS confirming connected Tuesday it had received a "full and last settlement" of £392,500.

In total, FWS has received £540,000 from the Scottish government.

Adding this to its ain ineligible costs, the SNP management has spent astatine slightest £766,498.80 of taxpayers' money connected 2 judicial reviews linked to the case.

FWS said the costs received will beryllium utilized to screen the costs of its current ineligible challenge against the government's argumentation connected the guidance of transgender prisoners, and "any early ineligible action basal to guarantee the Scottish authorities complies pinch the law".

In a statement, the group said: "We are eternally grateful for the overwhelming nationalist support that enabled america to successfully situation the Scottish government's unlawful actions and to explain that 'woman', 'man' and 'sex' person ever taken their biologic meaning successful the Equality Act 2010."

Figures revealed by a Freedom of Information (FOI) petition past twelvemonth showed the Scottish authorities spent £216,182.50 connected the judicial reappraisal astatine the Court of Session successful Edinburgh, which FWS won successful February 2022.

This included £68,682.50 for its ain counsel and tribunal costs and £147,500 to screen FWS ineligible fees.

The Scottish authorities past spent astatine slightest £550,316.30 connected the judicial reappraisal astatine the UK Supreme Court successful London.

This included £392,500 to FWS and £157,816.30 for its ain costs, though the run group noted that magnitude is "expected to emergence slightly" to bespeak the ineligible activity successful settling FWS's bill.

That intends the Scottish authorities has spent astatine slightest £766,498.80 connected these 2 judicial reviews.

Final costs are yet to beryllium confirmed and will beryllium published erstwhile complete.

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Scottish Conservative protector equalities curate Tess White MSP said the authorities had "taken acold excessively agelong to salary what is owed".

She added: "They should ne'er person squandered taxpayers' rate successful the first spot connected defending the indefensible.

"Worse still, the Nationalists person not learned their instruction and are wasting moreover much nationalist rate connected a ineligible conflict to let male-bodied prisoners to beryllium housed successful women's jails."

Ms White urged First Minister John Swinney to "grow a backbone and extremity dancing to the tune of gender extremists".

The Scottish authorities has been contacted for comment.