Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what the timescale is for bringing forward legislative proposals to ban conversion therapy; when her Department plans to commence its study into the (a) locations and (b) prevalence of conversion therapy in the UK; and what the planned remit is of that study.

This Government is committed to tackling the abhorrent practice of ‘conversion therapy’ in the UK.

The Government’s 2017 National LGBT Survey provides some evidence of the prevalence of conversion therapy in the UK; it found that 2% of respondents had previously undergone conversion therapy and a further 5 % had been offered it. We have commissioned further research to inform policy development in this area. Following a competitive tendering exercise, in 2019 the Government Equalities Office commissioned Coventry University to undertake research which explores evidence of practices, experiences and effects of conversion therapy. Officials are currently reviewing the findings of this report prior to publication, and reviewing the efficacy of both legislative and non-legislative measures in ending these practices.

Once this work is complete, the Government will bring forward proposals to end conversion therapy in due course.