A new Women and Equalities Committee is to look at the ‘spousal veto’, which affects married transgender people.

Following sustained campaigning from a cross-party group of MPs, the Government last month agreed to form a Women and Equalities Select Committee in Parliament for the first time.

Former culture secretary Maria Miller was later announced as the chair of the committee.

She described transgender issues as “emerging”.

According to the Marriage (Same-Sex Couples) Act, which legalised same-sex marriage in England and Wales last year, the spouse of someone who wants to legally change their gender with a gender recognition certificate must give permission for the marriage to continue.

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The Scottish Parliament’s Equal Opportunities Committee voted unanimously last January to remove the veto from the Scottish law.