Senedd election: what party manifestos say on conversion therapy

With just weeks to go until the Senedd election on 7 May, political parties in Wales have begun publishing their manifestos, setting out their policy proposals for the next Parliament.

At the 2021 election, both Welsh Labour and the Welsh Conservatives made commitments to ban conversion therapy.

This time around, however, the issue is absent from both parties’ manifestos (see here and here), and is not mentioned in those of the Welsh Greens, Welsh Liberal Democrats or Reform UK.

Plaid Cymru is the only party to include a commitment to conversion therapy legislation, saying it will: “Press the UK Government on a full, trans-inclusive ban on so-called ‘conversion therapy’, maximising Welsh Government action to tackle these harmful practices and support survivors.”

Banning conversion therapy is not within the powers of the Welsh Parliament, since criminal justice is not devolved to Wales. Responsibility for a ban therefore lies with Westminster.

But despite repeated promises of a ban from successive Westminster Governments, legislation has been fraught with difficulties. Twice, legislation has made it to the Prime Minister’s desk for sign off, only to be delayed due to concerns that it could infringe on parental rights and religious freedom. Independent legal advice has also warned that there is no way of introducing a ‘full, trans-inclusive ban’ without jeopardising the free speech of ordinary people.

In July 2024, the Westminster Government committed in the King’s Speech to publishing a draft conversion therapy Bill for England and Wales in this parliamentary session. But with the end of the session now just weeks away, it seems increasingly unlikely the Government will deliver on that pledge.  

Disgraced research project
In 2023, the Welsh Government commissioned research into “experiences of conversion practices among people aged 18+ in Wales” to “inform future policy development”. This involved interviewing ‘survivors of conversion practices’.

However, just as the findings were due to be published, news outlet Nation Cymru revealed that the research company’s sole director, James Mullen, had previously been imprisoned for sexual offences against a minor. This led to the £31,000 contract being terminated and the research never being made public.

A follow up Freedom of Information request revealed that the Welsh Government only did criminal background checks after concerns were raised. Mr Mullen was on the sex offenders register at the time the research was commissioned.