Conversion therapy plans – what will happen in 2025?

It’s been a busy year for the campaign. We’ve had Private Members’ Bills, amendments, consultations, and of course changes of Governments. As we approach the end of 2024, here’s an overview of where legislation is at across the UK and Ireland.

England and Wales

The Westminster Government remains committed to bringing forward a draft ‘conversion therapy’ Bill for England and Wales in this parliamentary session. This means there’ll be a pre-legislative scrutiny stage where we’ll get to see the exact wording of the law they are proposing before a Bill is voted on in Parliament. As part of this process we expect there to be a public consultation, and a parliamentary committee will be tasked with scrutinising the draft legislation.

During oral questions last Wednesday, Junior Equalities Minister Dame Nia Griffith said: “We will publish our draft Bill later this Session”. DUP MP Gregory Campbell asked Ms Griffith to ensure that legislation will not prevent adults from discussing ‘gender issues’ in faith-based settings. But she sidestepped the question, saying: “we are looking carefully at how to describe the sort of behaviour that would not be criminalised by the ban”. It seems the Government still believes it will be able to craft a law that will not breach basic liberties.

Scotland

In September, the Scottish Government announced that after several years of trying to legislate, it will shelve its own conversion therapy plans in favour of a UK-wide approach. However, Westminster is yet to confirm whether it will legislate for Scotland.

We anticipate the Scottish Government will publish the responses to its public consultation (which closed in April), along with analysis and their own response, in the new year.

Northern Ireland

Earlier this month, Alliance MLA Eóin Tennyson launched a private consultation on his own proposals for a conversion therapy Bill. Mr Tennyson is proposing that Northern Ireland adopt Scotland’s – now shelved – plans, which would have seen parents and pastors face seven years in prison for legitimate conversations about sexuality and gender identity.

Unsurprisingly, the proposals have received a cool reception. And they are unlikely to progress. DUP Communities Minister Gordon Lyons told the Assembly in June that the Department would carry out its own “further research and engagement” on conversion therapy ahead of public consultation. Assembly convention normally dictates that a Private Member’s Bill should not be tabled where a department is working on its own legislation in that area.

Republic of Ireland

By the time of the November election, the Irish Government had failed to deliver on its promise to bring forward a conversion therapy Bill. This was not unexpected, as just months before Equalities Minister Roderic O’Gorman admitted that it was proving to be “extremely complex”. The problems with legislating will not go away with a new Government.

We need to continue to help governments understand that new laws on conversion therapy are not necessary – since verbal and physical abuse are already highly illegal – and extending the current law will only criminalise innocent people.