Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, when the Government plans to publish its action plan coordinating a year of domestic action on LGBT issues, in the run up to the global conference, Safe to be me: Global Equality Conference to be hosted in London in June 2022.

The UK government is committed to promoting equality for LGBT people at home and abroad and we continue to be recognised as one of the top 10 most progressive countries in Europe for LGBT rights.

Earlier this year, the Minister for Women and Equalities set out her top priorities, which we are making good progress towards delivering. We have launched a public consultation on our plans to ban conversion therapy; we are digitising the Gender Recognition Certificate application process, having already reduced the fee, and are improving healthcare for trans people; and the Department for Education recently announced over £1 million in funding to support schools and colleges to tackle all forms of bullying, including anti-LGBT bullying.

We have also appointed Iain Anderson as LGBT Business Champion, and the Prime Minister has appointed Lord Herbert as Special Envoy on LGBT rights, with both an international and domestic focus.

We look forward to hosting Safe To Be Me: A Global Equality Conference next year, which will bring together government representatives, businesses, civil society and international parliamentarians to address the safety of LGBT people at home and abroad.