AN SNP MSP has called for transgender women who remain physically male to be banned from women’s prisons.

Kenny Gibson said putting male-bodied trans prisoners into women’s jails could lead to psychological harm to vulnerable women inmates who had been abused by men.

In a sign of the tensions within the SNP over trans rights, the Cunninghame North MSP raised the issue at First Minister’s Questions.

In 2018, transgender prisoner Karen White, a “predatory and controlling” rapist born Stephen Wood, was jailed for life after attacking women in a female prison in England.

According to the chief inspector of prisons south of the border, around one in 50 male prisoners now self-identifies as transgender, four times the level of the general population.

The figures have led to fears other abusive men are abusing transgender rights in order to be housed alongside female prisoners.

Mr Gibson told Ms Sturgeon: “Last night, I attended a meeting with 12 other MSPs and around 50 people, mostly from front-line women’s organisations, to discuss women’s sex-based rights.

“We heard from one of my constituents, who is a retired prison governor, that, although the Scottish Prison Service would not contemplate placing a trans man in a male prison, it has fewer qualms about placing a trans woman who is still physically male in a female prison.

“A risk assessment takes into account only a trans woman’s propensity for violence; it does not assess the potential psychological impact on female prisoners, many of whom are extremely vulnerable, having endured years of violence at the hands of male perpetrators.

“That can have, and has had, serious impacts on the mental wellbeing and rehabilitation of vulnerable female prisoners.

“Is not it time to ensure that people who are physically male are no longer admitted to female-only prisons?”

Social security secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville, who is in charge of gender recognition reform, was seen shaking her head after the comment.

Ms Sturgeon said she was unaware of the meeting but would ask Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf “to respond in detail on the particular point”.

She went on: “More generally, this is obviously a sensitive and controversial issue.

“It is very important not only that we respect and protect women’s rights - I have spent a lifetime as a committed feminist doing exactly that - but that we respect and protect trans rights and allow a proper debate.

“The Government is seeking to do [that] with draft legislation, to convince those who have concerns about the issue that there is not a tension and inevitable conflict between women’s rights and trans rights.

“That work is under way and the Government will continue to take it forward in a responsible and sensitive manner.”

The Scottish Government last month published a draft Bill on simplifying how transgender people change the sex on their birth certificates for public consultation.

She told MSPs at the time that some organisations have made some women feel “uncomfortable and less safe” in their attempts to be trans-inclusive.

After FMQs, Ms Somerville issued a “clarification” about the steps taken by the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) when considering trans prisoners.

She wrote: “SPS risk assessment process in relation to accommodating a trans person takes full account of any risks they may present to other prisoners, to staff and to themselves.”