Oral Answers to Questions

Rachel Taylor Excerpts

Wednesday 29th April 2026 Commons Chamber

[Jack Abbott (Ipswich) (Lab/Co-op)]

3. What steps she is taking to ban conversion practices.

[Rachel Taylor (North Warwickshire and Bedworth) (Lab)]

5. What steps she is taking to ban conversion practices.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education (Olivia Bailey)]

Conversion practices tell people that their identity is wrong, that it can be changed, and that they should be subjected to physical and emotional abuse to change it. These acts are abusive, they are abhorrent, and the Government will outlaw them as soon as possible.

[Olivia Bailey]

My hon. Friend is right. Conversion practices are dangerous, discredited and abusive, and I can make a commitment to everyone taking part in Suffolk Pride that this Labour Government will ban them. I am working on legislation as a matter of urgency; I know how important it is for the community, and we will publish draft legislation as soon as possible.

[Rachel Taylor]

I thank the Minister for the comments that she has made so far. Conversion practices have devastated the lives of LGBT people for many years, making them feel ashamed of who they are and leaving them with long-term physical and mental harm. The upcoming King’s Speech marks eight years since a ban on so-called conversion therapy was first promised. Can the Minister reassure me that a Bill will come to the House early in the next Session, and that we will not be waiting any longer for these cruel and inhumane practices to be outlawed for good?

[Olivia Bailey]

I thank my hon. Friend for being such a fantastic champion of the LGBT+ community. This Government will deliver our manifesto commitment to a trans-inclusive ban on conversion practices. My hon. Friend is right to say that successive Governments have promised to do that, and this Labour Government will be the ones who actually do it.

--- Later in debate ---

[Bridget Phillipson]

No one should face pressure or undue influence around their voting behaviour; let me be absolutely clear on that point. But let me also be clear to the House that I am fed up to the back teeth of Opposition politicians coming here time and again to sow division across our country. I am proud of the tolerant, compassionate and respectful nation that we are, and the shadow Justice Secretary should have been sacked for his shocking and shameful racist comments against Muslims in our country.

[Rachel Taylor (North Warwickshire and Bedworth) (Lab)]

T2. Leaked guidance from the Equality and Human Rights Commission suggested that it would be lawful for transgender and gender non-conforming people to be excluded from changing facilities based on a perception that their appearance did not correspond with societal gender norms, irrespective of their actual sex. Can the Minister reassure the House that such an obvious licence for bigotry and discrimination will not be included in the final guidance when she publishes it next month?

[Bridget Phillipson]

I thank my hon. Friend for her important question. She will appreciate, I am sure, that I cannot comment on the draft code of practice, but I want to reassure the House that trans people will continue to be protected from discrimination under the Equality Act. We will not treat this issue as a political football, as many others have done in the past. As I set out in earlier answers, I intend to lay the draft code before Parliament as soon as possible, once we are through the election period.