EHRC adapting guidance on single-sex spaces under 'constructive' new chair

Guidance on how to implement the supreme court ruling on gender is being adapted to lessen the burden on businesses and to ensure it tries to balance following the regulations on single-sex spaces with limiting the impact on transgender people, the Guardian has been told.

- Peter Walker Senior political correspondent

Lawyers from the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) are thought to be talking to government lawyers over the practicalities of guiding businesses and other institutions about last year’s ruling that the legal definition of a woman is based on biological sex only.

While talks have been going on since the EHRC’s guidance was sent to ministers in September, there has been what is viewed as a change in approach from the equalities watchdog since its new chair, Mary-Ann Stephenson, took over late last year.

Under law, the EHRC cannot unilaterally change a code it has submitted - this can happen only if ministers reject the draft and request amendments. But Stephenson is viewed as more open to listening to concerns about its implementation than her predecessor, Kishwer Falkner.