Rishi Sunak indicates he will change the law to protect single-sex spaces for women

He said: “I think biology is critically important as we think about some of the very practical functions, like toilets or sports.”

The EHRC advice, published in April, concluded it would be better in most cases to change the word “sex” in the 2010 act to “biological sex”.

It recommended that such a change would “bring legal clarity” in eight areas, including sports and single-sex areas.

At the time, a Downing Street source said he had asked Kemi Badenoch, the Equalities Minister, to take this work forward.

“The Prime Minister remains committed to his campaign pledge,” the source said. “This is a sensitive and complicated issue but the Secretary of State is taking that work forward and he supports her in doing so.”

But no proposals have yet been brought forward. One sticking point is a concern that MPs could seek to add amendments to any laws, giving powers to groups such as menopausal women to claim discrimination.

And since the EHRC advice was brought out, activists at the organisation were accused of trying to force Kishwer Falkner, the chairman, out as part of a “witch-hunt”, although the “coup” failed.

It emerged on Friday that new NHS Confederation guidance says patients may be found guilty of discrimination if they refuse the care of a transgender medic.

The document warns that patients have no right to be told a healthcare worker’s assigned sex at birth. However, transgender health workers can choose not to treat patients if they feel uncomfortable doing so.

The issue of women’s safe spaces will be debated in Westminster Hall on Monday after more than 100,000 people signed a petition in favour of a change in the law.

The group Sex Matters says the change would be the “right way to bring clarity to the law and protect everyone”, including transgender people.

The group says that in most situations covered by the Act, everyone should be treated equally, including people identifying as transgender.

But it points out the legislation includes specific provisions to allow single-sex only spaces, including in schools and colleges, services and charities, as well as jobs that can only be carried out by a woman or a man.

A spokesman for Sex Matters said: “The question for the debate is whether the law should be made clearer, so as to establish beyond doubt that a Gender Recognition Certificate does not redefine the categories of ‘male’ and ‘female’ in the Equality Act, or change a person’s sex in relation to sex discrimination.

“This would make clear that having a certificate does not give male people the right to compete in women’s sports, or to undress or shower with women and girls, or to be employed in a job that involves intimate contact with women (such as where a teacher, doctor, nurse, police officer or prison guard carries out private examinations or searches).

“As the poll shows, fewer than a third of people think that trans inclusion should include overstepping these boundaries.”