Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, whether s3(2) of the Conversion Practices draft bill removes culpability for the assistance or encouragement of an abusive conversion practice on the grounds that it was foreseeable but unintended.

The Government published its draft Conversion Practices Bill on 25 June for pre-legislative scrutiny.

The draft Bill will criminalise abusive, harmful acts which are intended to change a person’s sexual orientation or transgender identity. The draft Bill will target where an individual intentionally encourages or assists an abusive conversion practice performed outside England and Wales - this provision is in line with existing criminal law on inchoate offences.

The healthcare exemption merely ensures that genuine healthcare professionals, therapists and counsellors can be confident that they can continue their work to support patients and have free and open conversations about sexuality and gender identity. Those delivering abusive ‘quack’ therapies cannot rely on the draft Bill’s healthcare exemption to claim that their approach is in any way legitimate.

We understand this is a complex area, and we welcome our approach being tested as part of the pre-legislative scrutiny process.