COLCHESTER’S MP says he would be unhappy with his daughters sharing accommodation with pupils identifying as transgender.

The issue of including pupils identifying as transgender in single-sex spaces has been described as a “minefield” by Will Quince.

It came during an inquiry from the House of Commons’ education select committee for children in children’s homes.

Mr Quince, minister for children and families, said he “probably wouldn’t be overly happy” for his daughters to share a boarding house with a pupil identifying as a trans girl.

He told the house the issue was a “bit of a minefield” and the Department for Education was working with the Government Equalities Office to create guidance.

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But the MP added there were two “competing priorities”, the 2010 Equalities Act and the importance of treating young people equally, and the school’s “legal obligations, a duty to safeguard and protect and promote the welfare of all children”.

“And on the face of what you’ve just said, as a parent and particularly a parent of two young girls I probably wouldn’t be overly happy with the situation you’ve described,” he added, suggesting the concerned parent speak with the head, governors or Independent Schools Inspectorate.

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He said he would speak to the Schools Minister about forming more guidance but schools needed to use “their common sense and follow the law as it stands as the moment, and I would suggest that the duty to protect and to safeguard should probably override anything else”.

He stated the “number one priority” of schools should be the safeguarding of pupils.

A spokesperson for the transgender children’s charity Mermaids asked “when will we learn?” in response to the Colchester MP’s comments.

They said: “At Mermaids we hear of many schools who do a wonderful job supporting gender-diverse pupils who are simply trying to focus on their education.

“The small number of schools that are using financial resources and staff time to organise a blanket ban on trans pupils attending single sex schools is really sad and perplexing.

“At the heart of this is a young person who wants to learn, as themselves – it’s actually very simple when you think of it like that.