Patrick Harvie has said the government will give its response in Holyrood this week to the Cass Report.

The review by Dr Hilary Cass published earlier this month found "remarkably weak" evidence on treatments such as puberty blockers.

She said children have been let down by a lack of research and evidence on the use of puberty blockers and hormones, in a debate she said has become exceptionally toxic.

Last week NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and NHS Lothian paused the prescribing of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones to under-18s with gender dysphoria for all new patients. 

In a joint statement, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and NHS Lothian - which oversee Scotland's Young Person Gender Service - said the treatments were being suspended as a result of the Cass Review, published on April 10, which criticised the "remarkably weak" evidence base for medical interventions in children and adolescents.

But the move angered organsations representig transgender young people who said the pause would  "harm trans children and young people".

It was also among the issues which angered some members of the Scottish Greens, prompting a petiton by Rainbow Greens, the party's LGBT wing, to demand a vote on the Bute House Agreement.

Interviewed on the BBC, Mr Harvie said the prescription of puberty blockers was made to "a very very small number of young people".

He added: "There will be a ministerial statement next week about what happens and I want to be really, really clear that the decision that was made last week was not a government decision.

"It was made by individual clinicians, and if they need more evidence what is best practice around the world and has been the case but for a long time, can continue, then we need to work with them to make sure that that evidence is there."

The interview also saw Mr Harvie decline to condemn comments by his colleague Ross Greer labelling the Cass Review a "transphobic Conservative report".

He told the BBC: “While some people would like to pretend that puberty blockers are being handed out like sweeties, we are talking about a very small number of young people, who at the moment will be feeling devastated that they won't have access to the healthcare they need, so first of all, our thoughts are with them.

"When it comes to the Cass Report, it's very clearly been politicised by those trying to abolish trans people’s healthcare, trans people's rights, and exclude trans people from a whole host of public spaces.

“Not only the Scottish Greens, but the Scottish Government are not part of that culture war against trans people.

“It is so reminiscent of the homophobia of the 1980s and 1990s".

Asked if he accepted the report as a scientific document, he said: "I've seen far too many criticisms of the report to be able to say that".

The Scottish Conservatives accused Mr Harvie of failing to take responsibility for his party’s “shameful record in government”.

Last week a Holyrood committee urged the First Minister to provide a "clear timeline" for a Scottish response to the Cass Review into children's gender services in England.

It said this would reassure children, young people, parents/carers and clinicians that the "significant issues" raised by Dr Hilary Cass will be "fully considered and acted upon in Scotland without delay".

The Cass Review's final report said children had been let down by a lack of research and evidence on the use of puberty blockers and hormones.

In its letter to First Minister Humza Yousaf, the Education, Children and Young People Committee said: "The recent publication of the Cass Review has brought to light significant concerns about the way in which trans, non-binary and gender questioning children and young people access gender identity services in England, and the evidence that underpins current practices.

"The committee recognises that there will undoubtedly be parallels between services in England and those currently provided to children and young people in Scotland.

"Clarity is urgently required as to how the Scottish Government intends to take forward the report's findings in a Scottish context."

The committee said it believes a comprehensive children's rights and wellbeing impact assessment should be undertaken to ensure matters are explored fully, and that the rights of all children and young people across Scotland are safeguarded.

It added: "Further, the committee believes that a clear timeline should be provided for a Scottish response to the Cass Review, so that children and young people, parents/carers and clinicians can be reassured that the significant issues raised by Dr Cass will be fully considered and acted upon in Scotland without delay."