THE SNP Scottish government will “reflect” on the Cass Review as it plans a ban on conversion therapy, First Minister John Swinney said today.

The publishing of Dr Hilary Cass’s review of gender services for young people in England last month led to a ban on new treatments involving puberty blockers on both sides of the border.

But addressing Holyrood’s health and sport committee last week, she told of growing anxiety among practitioners that they may fall foul of the conversion therapy ban.

The Scottish Greens’ Maggie Chapman has written to the Scottish government calling for “clarity” and urged them to plough ahead with the trans-inclusive legislation conceived while her party was in government.

She said: “The speculation we have seen over recent days is not helping anyone, which is why I have called for clarity from the Scottish government and for them to publish a timeline for the legislation.”

Mr Swinney said: “We want clinicians to be able to give the best support to patients, so we have to listen to clinical opinion very carefully.

“I believe a woman is an adult female born as a woman and I also accept that transgender women are defined as women.”