No draft conversion therapy Bill as session ends – where does that leave things?

This week marked the end of the parliamentary session in Westminster, with Parliament now prorogued until the King’s Speech on 13 May.

You may recall that in July 2024, the Westminster Government used the King’s Speech to commit to publishing a draft ‘conversion practices’ Bill for England and Wales before the end of the session.

However, despite repeated assurances that legislation would be forthcoming, a draft Bill has yet to be published.

Draft legislation was reportedly on the PM’s desk last July, awaiting sign-off, but stalled amid concerns it could infringe on parental conversations and religious freedom. This chimes with expert advice from multiple KCs, warning that a new law in this area could breach no fewer than four rights guaranteed by the European Convention on Human Rights.

Equalities Minister questioned over plans

During the final Women and Equalities questions of the session, Olivia Bailey was pressed for an update on the Government’s plans.

She said she is working “urgently” on legislation to ban conversion practices and will publish “draft legislation as soon as possible”. When asked by Conservative MP Rebecca Paul precisely which practices she intends to outlaw, Bailey responded that: “Conversion practices tell people that they should be subjected to physical and emotional abuse to change their identity” (emphasis added). 

Her use of the phrase ‘tell people’ is curious, as it differs from previous answers, leaving us wondering whether it is a meaningful distinction or simply careless wording.

If she is saying that conversion practices involve subjecting people to physical and emotional abuse, then that is clearly already illegal.

Or is she suggesting a law is needed to prevent people from telling gay and trans people that they should be subjected to abuse?

We’re no clearer what Olivia Bailey and the Government mean when they say they want to ban conversion practices, even after all this time.

LGBTQ+ campaigners, meanwhile, are clear that a ban should compel parents and clinicians to medically transition gender-confused young people, and criminalise Christians for upholding biblical truth on marriage and gender in their prayers and conversations. They have long since dropped the pretence that a ban is simply about outlawing genuine abuse.

This Government and its predecessor have now spent eight years going around in circles on this issue, trying and failing to land on a workable definition. The end of the parliamentary session would have been an opportunity to draw a line under these ill-fated plans. Instead, the Government has chosen once again to restate its commitment to producing legislation that risks criminalising ordinary people.