‘Conversion therapy’ law

The Christian Institute and its Let Us Pray campaign has been defending the ordinary work of churches since the Government announced it was considering a new law on so called conversion therapy.

Please accept preferences cookies to view this content.

‘Conversion therapy’ is a wide umbrella term chosen by LGBT campaigners. It covers abusive practices by quack medical practitioners and charlatan preachers which are largely illegal already. But campaigners want to go much further and criminalise repentance as well as preaching, prayer, pastoral care and even parenting that fails to endorse liberal theology.

Coercive and abusive behaviour should be caught by existing law. But it is wrong for biblically faithful preaching, prayer, pastoral care and parenting to be in the sights of lawmakers.

Update – October 2026

Northern Ireland:

In June, Eóin Tennyson MLA of the Alliance Party launched his Private Member’s Bill on ‘conversion therapy’ in the Northern Ireland Assembly. The call for evidence has closed, and a committee of MLAs is examining the legislation.

Read Aidan O’ Neill KC’s opinion and a summary of his opinion on the Tennyson Bill.

Read opinion

Read summary

England and Wales:

In June, the Westminster Government released a Conversion Practices Draft Bill. A parliamentary committee is now examining the wording of the draft Bill and produce a report. The committee reviewing the Government’s draft Conversion Practices Bill is inviting public submissions. The deadline is 5pm on Monday 16 November.

Christians should respond to this call for evidence in numbers. Read our guides for supporters below before filling out a submission:

Read England and Wales Guide

Scotland:

The Scottish Government has asked Westminster that the England and Wales Bill above be applied to Scotland. Christians in Scotland should also respond to this call for evidence. See our guide for Scottish supporters.

Read Scotland Guide

Legal challenges

The Christian Institute has instructed solicitors in England, Northern Ireland and Scotland to prepare the ground for a potential judicial review of any new laws on ‘conversion therapy’ that restrict religious freedom.

This is based on legal advice received from one of the UK’s leading human rights KCs warning that an indiscriminate ban could criminalise the ordinary work of churches. This would put the UK in breach of the European Convention on Human Rights and open the Government to legal challenge in the courts.

The Institute has won both its previous judicial reviews against UK governments. The first, in 2007, resulted in a partial strike down of the Northern Ireland Sexual Orientation Regulations. The second, in 2016, resulted in the repeal of the Scottish Government’s unlawful ‘Named Person’ scheme.

Read Jason Coppel KC’s April 2021 legal opinion
Read a highlighted version of his December 2023 opinion on Baroness Burt’s Private Members’ Bill.
Read the key extracts

Scottish Govt ditches Bill

Aidan O’Neill KC has also provided two legal opinions for the Institute.

In December 2022 he warned that the Scottish Government’s extreme ‘conversion therapy’ proposals were “beyond the powers of the Scottish Parliament to legislate”. He explained that the “fundamentally illiberal” proposals also breach Holyrood’s competence as set out in the Scotland Act of 1998 as they contain measures which change UK equality and discrimination law which is not devolved to Holyrood.

Read a highlighted version of the full 2022 opinion

Read a summary and extracts

In his subsequent opinion from February 2024 he branded proposals set out in an 86-page consultation document as “jellyfish legislation… impossible to grasp… [with] a sting in the tail”.

Heavy criticism of the Bill from lawyers and the public, combined with our threat of judicial review, forced the Scottish Government to drop its Bill. It has asked Westminster to legislate for Scotland. It has also pledged to introduce its own Bill if Westminster fails to legislate to its statisfaction.

Read a highlighted version of the 2024 opinion