Draft ‘conversion therapy’ Bill in King’s Speech again

The Government has repeated its pledge to bring forward a draft Bill to ban so-called conversion therapy under its plans for this parliamentary session.

In the State Opening of Parliament, King Charles III announced that a “draft Bill to ban abusive conversion practices” will be brought forward in England and Wales. This was also pledged in the July 2024 King’s Speech, but a Bill was never published.

The Government claimed that its conversion practices proposals, which as a draft Bill would receive pre-legislative scrutiny rather than going through the process of becoming law, are not “intended to interfere with people’s right to religious belief and expression”. But church leaders recently warned that such a law could “make sharing the Gospel with some people illegal”.

‘Criminalise disagreement’

Joanna Timm, Senior Public Affairs Officer at The Christian Institute, commented: “This was an opportunity for the Government to call time on these deeply divisive plans. There is abundant evidence that the LGBTQ+ activists who want a conversion therapy ban want it to criminalise people who disagree with their ideology.

“There are already robust protections in law against abuse and coercion. Legal advice is clear that expanding the current law risks criminalising things that should never be made illegal – such as a mother urging her gender-confused daughter not to have a double mastectomy, or a church leader praying with a member of their congregation who asks for prayer about sexual temptation.

“We need only look at the Australian state of Victoria’s conversion therapy ban – which activists here call the ‘gold standard’ – to see that it is about regulating everyday speech.

“Not only is it unlawful under Victoria’s ban not to affirm a person’s declared gender identity, but official state guidance on how to comply with the law tells Christians how to pray, and what they can and cannot teach. At one point, it even said a parent discouraging their child from taking puberty blockers would be guilty of unlawful conversion therapy.”

Unworkable

According to ITV, the Government halted its plans last year due to concerns around religious freedom and parental guidance.

The previous Conservative Government also acknowledged the difficulties of such measures, noting in its 2024 manifesto that “legislation around conversion practices is a very complex issue, with existing criminal law already offering robust protections”.

The manifesto emphasised that more time should be taken before “reaching a final judgement on additional legislation in this area”.

In Scotland, a 2024 Government Bill on conversion therapy was dropped after a hostile response from lawyers and the public.