Lord Jackson of Peterborough

Political opinion is not a protected characteristic in the Equality Act 2010. The Office for Equality and Opportunity, like its predecessors, does not provide guidance on matters not covered in equalities legislation. Guidance on religion and philosophical belief has been published by the Equality and Human Rights Commission and the subject also forms part of the Commission's statutory code of practice.

None of these organisations are paid members or affiliates of Stonewall.

The government expects regulators to ensure organisations comply with their legal requirements. Should regulators wish to go beyond the scope of the 2010 Act’s requirements, that is a matter for them, but they should not seek to label such additional requirements as arising under the 2010 Act.

I refer the noble Lord to the answer given to the Rt Hon Claire Coutinho MP on 30 January 2025 by Minister Gould which states that:

‘Government departments are responsible for decisions about whether to buy services from third sector organisations to support equality, diversity and inclusion in their organisations. Currently no government department is a member of Stonewall’.

Ministers’ meetings are a matter of public record, and are published periodically on gov.uk.

As previously indicated in answer to HL3815 and HL3671, the Government has and will continue to meet with stakeholders as we develop this important work. This engagement encompasses a wide range of stakeholders, both in favour of, or concerned by, the prospect of this legislation. Such meetings will be disclosed in due course as part of relevant Departmental transparency releases on gov.uk and more generally when we are ready to share our approach to this legislation.

As previously indicated, the Government has and will continue to meet with stakeholders both in favour of, or concerned by, the prospect of this legislation. Such meetings will be disclosed in due course as part of relevant Departmental transparency releases on gov.uk and more generally when we are ready to share our approach to this legislation.

Officials have a good understanding of legislation on conversion practices across a number of overseas nations and territories, including in the Australian state of Victoria. A jurisdiction’s decision on whether and how to legislate in this area will depend on their specific legal framework and context. This Government has been clear that the draft Bill we publish will respect the important role that religious leaders have in supporting those exploring their sexual orientation or gender identity.

The Government has and will continue to meet with numerous stakeholders representing a wide range of views as we develop this work. This includes an array of organisations both in favour of, or concerned by, the prospect of this legislation.

The research undertaken by Coventry University was commissioned by a previous administration and published in October 2021. This Government’s work to develop draft legislation is informed by the available evidence base on conversion practices, which includes but is not limited to the Coventry University study.

Finally, I can also confirm that the Government is considering all possible impacts and relevant rights in relation to this work, in line with the requirement to consider the compatibility of legislation with Convention rights as an integral part of the policy-making process.

Officials have a good understanding of legislation on conversion practices across a number of overseas nations and territories, including in the Australian state of Victoria. A jurisdiction’s decision on whether and how to legislate in this area will depend on their specific legal framework and context. This Government has been clear that the draft Bill we publish will respect the important role that religious leaders have in supporting those exploring their sexual orientation or gender identity.

The Government has and will continue to meet with numerous stakeholders representing a wide range of views as we develop this work. This includes an array of organisations both in favour of, or concerned by, the prospect of this legislation.

The research undertaken by Coventry University was commissioned by a previous administration and published in October 2021. This Government’s work to develop draft legislation is informed by the available evidence base on conversion practices, which includes but is not limited to the Coventry University study.

Finally, I can also confirm that the Government is considering all possible impacts and relevant rights in relation to this work, in line with the requirement to consider the compatibility of legislation with Convention rights as an integral part of the policy-making process.

Officials have a good understanding of legislation on conversion practices across a number of overseas nations and territories, including in the Australian state of Victoria. A jurisdiction’s decision on whether and how to legislate in this area will depend on their specific legal framework and context. This Government has been clear that the draft Bill we publish will respect the important role that religious leaders have in supporting those exploring their sexual orientation or gender identity.

The Government has and will continue to meet with numerous stakeholders representing a wide range of views as we develop this work. This includes an array of organisations both in favour of, or concerned by, the prospect of this legislation.

The research undertaken by Coventry University was commissioned by a previous administration and published in October 2021. This Government’s work to develop draft legislation is informed by the available evidence base on conversion practices, which includes but is not limited to the Coventry University study.

Finally, I can also confirm that the Government is considering all possible impacts and relevant rights in relation to this work, in line with the requirement to consider the compatibility of legislation with Convention rights as an integral part of the policy-making process.

Officials have a good understanding of legislation on conversion practices across a number of overseas nations and territories, including in the Australian state of Victoria. A jurisdiction’s decision on whether and how to legislate in this area will depend on their specific legal framework and context. This Government has been clear that the draft Bill we publish will respect the important role that religious leaders have in supporting those exploring their sexual orientation or gender identity.

The Government has and will continue to meet with numerous stakeholders representing a wide range of views as we develop this work. This includes an array of organisations both in favour of, or concerned by, the prospect of this legislation.

The research undertaken by Coventry University was commissioned by a previous administration and published in October 2021. This Government’s work to develop draft legislation is informed by the available evidence base on conversion practices, which includes but is not limited to the Coventry University study.

Finally, I can also confirm that the Government is considering all possible impacts and relevant rights in relation to this work, in line with the requirement to consider the compatibility of legislation with Convention rights as an integral part of the policy-making process.

There has been no engagement with governments of international jurisdictions on conversion practice policies since the election of the new government.

The Ministry of Defence answered the question for written answer (HL1878) on 5th December 2024. As is sometimes the case when a Minister asks for further contextual information, a response may be later than the target 10 days. As Leader of the House I continue to remind Ministers of the 10 working day target.

All Government Ministers are fully aware of their responsibility to respond to questions for written answer within the 10 day target. When further information is required from other departments it may take longer to answer.

I have personally reminded Ministers of the 10 day target for their department. My office also routinely contacts departments who have breached the target, reminding them of their duty to ensure the target is met and to ascertain the reasons why deadlines have been missed.

I refer the Noble Lord to my answer to his previous question (HL2460), given on 26 November.

As outlined in my previous answer of 29 October (HL 1459), officials have and will continue to engage with international and devolved governments as part of their work relating to conversion practices. Clearly, any country’s decision on whether and how to legislate in this area depends on their legal framework and context.

We are currently working toward publication of the draft Bill later this session and will engage Parliamentarians across both Houses and key stakeholders on our proposals in further detail.

Officials have liaised with a range of international counterparts in relation to conversion practices policy. The Government will continue to engage with a range of other jurisdictions as well as domestic stakeholders, as policy in this area develops. We are committed to listening to all viewpoints and concerns with respect.

Conversion practices are abuse and must be stopped. This Government is committed to delivering on the manifesto commitment to bring forward a full, trans-inclusive ban on conversion practices.

Officials routinely liaise with international counterparts regarding their work relating to conversion practices. A jurisdiction’s decision on whether and how to legislate in this area will depend on their specific legal framework and context.

We will continue to engage with counterparts as well as domestic stakeholders as policy in this area develops and are committed to listening to all viewpoints and concerns with respect.

Conversion practices are abuse and must be stopped. This Government is committed to delivering on the manifesto commitment to bring forward a full, trans-inclusive ban on conversion practices.

The Government is aware of work ongoing in Scotland regarding their plans to ban conversion practices. We will continue to engage with counterparts across the devolved administrations as policy in this area develops.

This Government’s position is that conversion practices are abuse. Such practices have no place in society and must be stopped.

As with all legislation, the Government is considering all possible impacts and relevant rights, in line with the requirement to consider the compatibility of legislation with Convention rights as an integral part of the policy-making process.

To be clear, any ban must not cover legitimate psychological support, treatment, or non-directive counselling. It must also respect the important role that teachers, religious leaders, parents and carers can have in supporting those exploring their sexual orientation or gender identity.

As has previously been set out to the house both in January 2025 and in June 2025, there is an established rigorous system in place within the Attorney General’s Office to ensure that a Law Officer would not be consulted on any matter that could give rise to a potential conflict of interest.

If a Law Officer were to publicly confirm specific matters where they were recused, this would infer that legal advice had been requested by the Government on a specific matter, which would risk a breach of the Law Officers’ Convention.

This process also sits alongside the established system in place for declaration Ministerial Interests. I confirm that my relevant interests have been published for the public record, including my previous employment at Matrix Chambers.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) collects data to assist in the effective management of its prosecution functions. This data is derived from structured data fields completed by front line staff on individual case records held in the Case Management Information System (CMS) and reported in the Management Information System (MIS).

Within CMS management information (MI) is recorded at the level of defendants in a set of proceedings rather than against the individual offence or offences a defendant may be charged. This includes defendants charged with offences of s58 and s59 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861 and s1 of the Infant Life (Preservation) Act 1929. To identify the prosecution outcomes of offences would require a manual review of case records which would be at disproportionate cost.

The CPS is replacing its current Case Management System. This replacement provides opportunities to design improved management information capabilities to meet future reporting requirements.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) does not hold any data which shows the number of defendants prosecuted, referred, acquitted, or convicted of offences created by s58-59 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861 and s1 of the Infant Life (Preservation) Act 1929. To establish number and outcomes of prosecutions where these offences were charged would require a manual review of case files and this would be at disproportionate cost.

Management information is available which shows the number of offences of charged by way of Sections 58 and 59 (administering drugs or using instruments to procure abortion / procuring drugs, instruments to cause abortion) and Section 1 (child destruction) in which a prosecution commenced. The table below shows the number of these offences from 1^st April 2015 to 31^st March 2025.

The figures relate to the number of offences and not the number of individual defendants. It can be the case that an individual defendant is charged with more than one offence against the same complainant. No data are held showing the final outcome or if the charged offence was the substantive charge at finalisation.

There were a number of similar prosecutions at the time which were responded to in the same manner and timeline. Between 9 and 14 August, the AG responded to 14 other applications for consent in similar matters. 11 of those had a decision within 24 hours, a similar timescale to that in which consent to prosecute was granted in respect of Lucy Connolly.

Certain offences require Law Officer consent to prosecute, and inciting racial hatred is one such offence. The Attorney General provided consent to the DPP to prosecute for this case under the Public Order Act 1986.

When providing consent, the Law Officers must be satisfied that the evidential test and the public interest test of the Code for Crown Prosecutors are met. This case and all similar cases were considered by reference to the test in the usual way.

When applying for consent, the CPS will independently provide an indication of proposed timescales for consent to be in place, and wherever possible the AGO will work to those.

In 2024 Public Bodies, including Government departments were able to request a free portrait of the King, for display in the department.

The Attorney General’s Office received a portrait through the Cabinet Office’s scheme. The Government Legal Department did not receive a portrait.

The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) and International Criminal Court (ICC) are international courts based respectively in France and the Netherlands. The UK is a State Party to both the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and the Rome Statute, the international treaties which established the ECtHR and ICC respectively. It is also a founding member of both instruments.

The Human Rights Act 1998 and the International Criminal Court Act 2001 give effect to the UK's obligations under the ECHR and Rome Statute. We respect the independence of both courts.

The Law Officers’ Convention applies to advice which may or may not have been given by, or requested of, the Law Officers. It can be found at paragraph 21.27 of Erskine May:

“By long-standing convention, observed by successive Governments, the fact of, and substance of advice from, the law officers of the Crown is not disclosed outside government. This convention is referred to in paragraph [5.14] of the Ministerial Code [updated on 6 November 2024]. The purpose of this convention is to enable the Government to obtain frank and full legal advice in confidence.”

Indicating whether or not the Law Officers have recused themselves from a particular matter would itself breach the Law Officers’ Convention.

However, the Attorney General’s Office has a rigorous process for identifying and dealing with conflicts and potential conflicts that arise from Law Officers’ former practice. As part of that process, the AGO adopts a cautious and beyond reproach threshold to any conflicts or potential conflicts. These arrangements are long-standing and part of a standard practice that has applied across successive Administrations.

The Law Officers have not had any such correspondence.

The Government Legal Profession Summer Diversity Scheme provides valuable work experience to those under-represented in the legal profession. The scheme is open to candidates from a wide-range of backgrounds, providing they meet the eligibility criteria, including white British people. There are no plans to change this for the 2026 scheme.

Management information held by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) shows the number of offences in which a prosecution commenced that were finalised between 1 April 2019 to 31 March 2025.

The figures relate to the number of offences and not the number of individual defendants. It can be the case that an individual defendant is charged with more than one offence against the same complainant. The CPS does not hold data showing the final outcome or if the charged offence was the substantive charge at finalisation.

Requests for data on arrests should be directed to the Home Office as the lead government department for the police.

No such guidance has been issued.

The SIS Summer Intelligence Internship is one of a number of lawful measures (as set out in The Equality Act 2010) used to encourage people from under-represented demographics to consider national security careers.

In addition to the Summer Internship scheme, SIS runs other placements and apprenticeships. The details of which are regularly published on their website. All schemes are only open to those who meet the required British, or British dual-national, nationality criteria.