Chamber and committees

UK Government update on legislation for Conversion Therapy

Letter from the UK Government to Minister for Equalities and Older People, 31 August 2021

Dear Christina

I am writing to follow up on our announcement that we will be legislating to ban conversion therapy and that we will be making funding available to support victims. I know you have a strong interest in this important issue and I wanted to update you on our plans.

Our National LGBT Survey in 2017 found that 2% of respondents had undergone conversion therapy, and a further 5% of respondents had been offered it. This Government has also heard many first-hand accounts of the harm which these abhorrent practices cause. In July 2020, the Prime Minister reiterated our commitment to tackling conversion therapy, and we have been working hard to identify the best way to do so.

I am pleased to confirm that we will be introducing legislation to ban conversion therapy practices for good, when Parliamentary time allows.

We will be launching a consultation aimed at hearing a range of views so we can ensure our legislative proposals are informed, balanced and effective in tackling this issue. The consultation will seek further views from the public and key stakeholders to ensure that the ban can address these abhorrent practices while protecting the medical profession, defending freedom of speech, and upholding religious freedom. The evidence we gather from this consultation, will be considered alongside the results of the research we have commissioned on the prevalence, nature and impact of conversion therapy, which will be published. I will set out more details on next steps in due course.

I am also pleased to announce we will be funding a package of support for victims of conversion therapy. This package will fund a helpline for victims, as well as, providing resources for those in safeguarding positions, such as teachers, to identify and report conversion therapy cases.

Conversion therapy must end and legislating will allow us to put a stop to these abhorrent practices for good.

Yours sincerely

Kemi Badenoch MP

Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury & Minister for Equalities

FAQs

Why do we need to end the practice of conversion therapy?

There is a growing body of evidence that conversion therapy is harmful, and that exposure to conversion therapy is associated with poor mental health outcomes, including suicidal thoughts.

• 2% of 108,000 respondents to the National LGBT Survey 2017 said they had undergone conversion therapy, and a further 5% of respondents said they had been offered it.
• 51% of respondents who had undergone conversion therapy said that it had been conducted by faith groups, while 19% said that it had been conducted by healthcare providers or medical professionals.

Will there be a ban?

• Yes. We are looking to bring forward measures to ban conversion therapy as soon as Parliamentary time allows.

Will there be a consultation?

• Yes. We want to ensure that a ban on conversion therapy works for those who need to be protected most whilst also protecting the medical profession, defending freedom of speech, and upholding religious freedom.
• This is a very complex issue and we want to engage with stakeholders to ensure any action we take is proportionate and effective.
• We will be engaging with stakeholders to shape the ban on conversion therapy and ensure any action we take is informed, proportionate and effective.

Will the legislation be for England only?

• The territorial application of the ban will largely apply to England and Wales only but there may be some measures that are reserved to the UK Government and which will apply to the UK as a whole.
• We will remain in close contact with the devolved administrations as we finalise these measures to find constructive solutions to end this abhorrent practice for good.

Are you going to ban conversion therapy for children and adults?

• Our ambition is to protect all those affected by conversion therapy whilst making sure the action we take is proportionate and effective, with no unintended consequences.
• That is why we will be launching a consultation to hear a range of views on the scope of the ban and engage with stakeholders to ensure we achieve a ban that works for those who need it most.

Will a ban stop trans people accessing legitimate support for their gender identity?

• No. We want to ensure anyone can access the support they need.
• We will be engaging with a wide range of experts and stakeholders, including the healthcare sector.
• We also want to ensure medical professionals seeking to offer advice to individuals with gender dysphoria within clinical and legal guidelines are able to continue practicing as normal.

Will you also ban conversion therapy based on gender identity of minors?

• We are considering how best to protect anyone from attempts to change their gender identity or sexual orientation, while ensuring parents, teachers and medical professionals are able to support and protect young people.
• This ban must not impact on the independence and confidence of clinicians to support those who may be experiencing gender dysphoria. This is a complex issue and we must take account of the wider work going on in this space, in particular the ongoing Cass review.

Will you stop young people from having conversations over their sexual orientation?

• No. We will be working with relevant stakeholders to ensure any proposals will ensure medical professionals, teachers and parents continue to have open and honest conversations with young people.

How will you support victims of conversion therapy?

• We will be making funding available to ensure victims of conversion therapy can find and access the support they need. This support will be available to whoever considers themselves to be at risk of- or have undergone- conversion therapy, whatever the circumstances.

Will you stop people who want conversion therapy from undergoing it?

• We do not want to prevent people from seeking legitimate medical or spiritual support should they wish to do so. However, this does not mean we will tolerate the use of coercive or abusive practices under the guise of support, whatever the setting.
• We understand this is a complex issue and we will be working with stakeholders to ensure we do not unduly inhibit people seeking genuine support.
• Given the broad range of acts that are often associated with conversion therapy, we will need to consider how consent operates for each individual act. Where it is clear that the act may cause demonstrable harm, there is a stronger case for us intervening regardless of consent.

Will a ban stop people accessing spiritual support?

• No. We will engage with relevant stakeholders and seek a wide range of views within the consultation to ensure a ban does not stop people accessing legitimate spiritual guidance.
• If an act of conversion therapy causes demonstrable harm and would also be considered spiritual support, then we will need to consider whether it is appropriate to act on this. During the consultation phase we would like to hear from a wide range of voices on important issues such as this.

Are you going to ban prayer?

• No.

Will a ban impact free speech?

• Free speech underpins our democratic society and we will protect that as we develop policy to end conversion therapy practices.
• We are working to understand the impact on wider rights and freedoms of any Government action to tackle conversion therapy.