THE Scottish government accepted the Supreme Court’s judgement against its ministers on gender, the Social Justice Secretary told MSPs today.

Addressing last week’s ruling that the definition of a woman under the Equality Act was a biological one, Shirley-Anne Somerville told the Scottish Parliament: “The Scottish government does, of course, accept the judgment of the Supreme Court.

“It is a significant legal ruling and it is right that we take time to consider it.”

Stating that public bodies across the country would now move to incorporate the ruling into their policies and practices, she said it was “vital the EHRC [Equality and Human Rights Commission] now issue clear, practical guidance.”

In a bid to draw a line under the years-long debate, Ms Somerville added: “There have been many challenging arguments over the past five years and I hope that we can move to a point where we again focus on progressing equality for the people of Scotland.

“The pursuit of equality is not a contest between communities, it is a collective effort to build a fairer Scotland for all and the foundation on which this parliament was built.”

Breaking his silence on the issue, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer welcomed the Supreme Court ruling and said a woman is an “adult female” as he U-turned on his previous stance on trans rights.