Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Conversion Therapy

Wednesday 12 January 2022 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 2 Partly answered 0 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Government proposals will protect freedom of speech regarding conversion therapy
  • Proposals will not affect parents' rights to express views and raise children with their values
  • Parents and carers will have the right to express views on how a child identifies

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Mark Jenkinson
Women & Equalities
Context

Concern about proposed legislation banning conversion therapy potentially criminalising therapists and parents for expressing certain views to children.

Question

If the Government will ensure that proposed legislation to ban conversion therapy will not criminalise therapists and parents for telling children that it is not possible to be born in the wrong body.

Answer from Mike Freer

The Government's proposals will protect freedom of speech. The proposals will not affect a parent's right to express their views and raise their children with their values. Parents, clinicians and teachers will, of course, continue to be able to have open and challenging conversations with young people or others about their sexual orientation or whether they are transgender or not.

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Q2 Mark Jenkinson
Women & Equalities
Context

Concern about instances where parents have been reported to social services for expressing certain views regarding their child's identity. Request for assurance on the protection of such rights.

Question

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for that answer. There have been instances of parents being reported to social services for not simply affirming their child's new trans identity. Will my hon. Friend assure parents that their right to not simply affirm their child's new identity will be protected in the face of the ideological capture of some of our public services?

Answer from Mike Freer

Parents and carers will, of course, have the right to express their views on how a child identifies.

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