Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps her Department has taken during the consultation on Banning conversions therapy to close the gap in available data on the impact of conversion therapies on (a) women and (b) people from ethnic minority groups.

Findings from the National LGBT Survey 2017, which had responses from over 108,000 LGBT people in the UK, found that men were generally slightly more likely to have undergone or been offered conversion therapy (8%) than women (6%). Black/African/Caribbean/black British (13%) and Asian/Asian British (14%) respondents, and respondents belonging to an ‘other’ ethnic group (15%), were more likely than white (7%) respondents to have undergone or been offered conversion therapy.

Our consultation on banning conversion therapy, which closed on 4 February, collected data on the sex and ethnicity of respondents, along with other demographics. This data will be considered as part of our analysis of consultation results. We have no current plans to undertake any additional research however, alongside the consultation, officials and Ministers continue to engage with a wide range of stakeholders to ensure all perspectives are heard.