Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Transgender Conversion Therapy

Wednesday 13 July 2022 · 3 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 3 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Rupa Huq asked the Department whether it has undertaken an equalities assessment of excluding transgender conversion therapy in the forthcoming legislative proposals on conversion therapy.
  • The Minister responded that the Government wants to ensure everyone is protected from the harm caused by conversion practices, emphasizing the need to avoid unintended consequences and build consensus.
  • Mike Freer welcomed Rupa Huq and asked for reassurance that the discussions and legislation on banning conversion practices will protect everybody from these harmful practices.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Rupa Huq Lab Ealing Central and Acton
Women & Equalities
Context

There is an ongoing debate about the exclusion of transgender conversion therapy in legislation. An equalities Minister recently resigned over this issue, citing a promise for a full ban on conversion therapy.

Question

Whether her Department has undertaken an equalities assessment of the exclusion of transgender conversion therapy in the Government's forthcoming legislative proposals on conversion therapy. There is a respectful debate to be had on single-sex spaces and on trans people in sport, but the Government's failure on their promise of a full ban on conversion therapy caused one equalities Minister to resign last week. Eight royal colleges and the British Medical Association want this.

Answer from Amanda Solloway

We want to ensure that everyone is protected from the extensive harm that conversion practices cause. It is not unreasonable to take some extra time to avoid an unintended consequence and to build a consensus, so that, together, we can make our legislation as inclusive as possible.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific timeline or commitment for when the government will act on banning conversion therapy

How: Taking Extra Time, Building Consensus

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Q2 Rupa Huq Lab Ealing Central and Acton
Women & Equalities
Context

The government promised a full ban on conversion therapy, but the exclusion of transgender conversion practices in legislation caused an equalities Minister to resign. Multiple royal colleges and the British Medical Association support this.

Question

There is a respectful debate to be had on single-sex spaces and on trans people in sport, but the Government's failure on their promise of a full ban on conversion therapy, which caused one equalities Minister to resign last week, is not it. Eight royal colleges and the British Medical Association want this.

Answer from Amanda Solloway

We want to ensure that everyone is protected from the extensive harm that conversion practices cause. It is not unreasonable to take some extra time to avoid an unintended consequence and to build a consensus, so that, together, we can make our legislation as inclusive as possible.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific timeline or commitment for when the government will act on banning conversion therapy

How: Taking Extra Time, Building Consensus

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Q3 Mike Freer Con
Women & Equalities
Context

Discussions and legislation on banning conversion practices are ongoing. The questioner seeks reassurance that these discussions will include protecting everyone from harmful practices.

Question

I welcome my hon. Friend to her place. Will she reassure the House that the discussions and legislation on banning conversion practices will include protecting everybody from these harmful practices?

Answer from Amanda Solloway

I acknowledge all the work that my hon. Friend has done on this subject. I absolutely agree that the legislation to ban conversion practices is fundamentally about protecting LGBT people from harm. The experience of victims needs to continue to be at the heart of all considerations, as I know they were when my hon. Friend was the Minister.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific reassurance that everyone will be protected from harmful practices

How: Acknowledging Past Work, Agreeing On Protecting Lgbt People

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