Boris Johnson’s team has ditched plans developed under Theresa May to allow transgender people change their birth certificates without a medical diagnosis, which is the law in Ireland since 2015.

Liz Truss, the Equalities Minister, will publish the details in an official response to a public consultation on the Gender Recognition Act.

Under the leaked plans, proposals for people to self-identify their gender will be abandoned and those wanting to change their birth certificate will still need medical approval. Under current rules applicants have to produce two medical reports that they have suffered from gender dysphoria — usually from their GP and one other registered medical practitioner or psychologist. They are also required to show that they have lived in their chosen gender identity for two years and intend to do so for the rest of their lives.

Under the plans there will also be a crackdown on “quack” doctors to ensure that only reputable medics can give approvals.

Additionally, safeguards will be put in place to protect “safe spaces” for women, reaffirming provisions in the Equalities Act. New national guidelines on lavatory provision are likely to be introduced, replacing the “free-for-all” in which councils set their own rules, which has seen a rise in gender-neutral bathrooms.

More than 100,000 responses were received to the consultation, and 70% of those purportedly backed the idea that anyone should be able to declare that they are a woman or a man. However, officials dismissed the consultation as they believe the results were skewed by an avalanche of responses generated by trans rights groups.