Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of exonerating rather than pardoning gay and bisexual men convicted of now-abolished sexual offences; and if she will bring forward legislative proposals to exonerate gay and bisexual men of such offences.

It is hugely important that we pardon people convicted of historical sexual offences who would be innocent of any crime today. Through pardons and the existing disregard process we will meet our manifesto commitment and put right these wrongs. Everyone living who obtains a pardon through the new process will also have obtained a disregard, meaning that they will be treated as if they had never committed the offence.