Still no timescale on conversion therapy ban - almost five years after promise

By Lewis Denison, ITV News Westminster Producer

A ban on conversion therapy for LGBT+ people will come in "due course", the equalities minister has said - almost five years after a Tory prime minister promised it would be outlawed.

Kemi Badenoch, who is also the business secretary, claimed the practice would be banned before the next general election in 2024 - but social media users questioned the commitment, with one calling it "meaningless waffle".

A pledge to ban conversion therapy was first made by Theresa May in 2018, when the former PM called it an "abhorrent practice" - but three prime ministers later, it is still legal.

Members of the LGBT+ community have been repeatedly let down by the government over its promise, which has been watered down and delayed numerous times.

Ms Badenoch paused work on the ban when Rishi Sunak first appointed her to the role in October 2022 after predecessor in the role, Nadhim Zahawi, agreed the Joint Committee of MPs and Lords would scrutinise a bill in 2023 to finally introduce a ban.

It is not clear whether a bill to ban the practice will come this year or be delayed until the next, with Ms Badenoch telling the Women and Equalities Committee that a law before the next election is "certainly something I want to see".

But she refused to put a more exact time scale on it. When asked when the ban would come, she said: "In due course is the easiest way to describe it."

The minister told the committee the government had decided to take evidence from groups and individuals close to the issue (known as pre-legislative scrutiny) before implementing the ban because of how "contentious" it is.

"Looking at the strength of feeling across both Houses of Parliament and on both sides of the argument, we thought having the PLS (pre-legislative scrutiny) process would make the bill a lot more rigorous but that is no longer in control of government in terms of the timetable for that."

Under Boris Johnson's government, the ban was watered down by removing trans conversion therapy from the scope of any legislation, only including conversion therapy focused on "changing" someone's sexuality.

Mr Johnson recommitted to Ms May's promise after taking office in 2019 but two years later, an LGBT+ adviser quit in protest.

Jayne Ozanne, in March 2021, said politicians running the government's equality programme - which at the time included Ms Badenoch and Liz Truss - were known in the LGBT+ community as "ministers for inequality".

She told ITV News: "Frankly one of the reasons I’m resigning now is to appeal to the prime minister, who I believe is a friend of the LGBT community, to act, to understand that the proposals that are going forward on conversion therapy do not have the confidence of the LGBT community, do not have the confidence of many senior religious leaders who’ve also called for a ban."

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know...

In 2022 Mr Johnson dropped a plan to include trans conversion as part of the ban after some Tory MPs raised concerns about parents supporting children who are questioning their gender identity.

But Culture Secretary Michelle Donelan, who took over from Nadine Dorries when Mr Sunak was elected, promised the eventual ban would include trans therapy.

In a written statement to the House of Commons, in January this year, she said: "We recognise the strength of feeling on the issue of harmful conversion practices and remain committed to protecting people from these practices and making sure they can live their lives free from the threat of harm or abuse."

"It is right that this issue is tackled through a dedicated and tailored legislative approach, which is why we are announcing today that the government will publish a draft bill which will set out a proposed approach to ban conversion practices, this will apply to England and Wales.

"The bill will protect everyone, including those targeted on the basis of their sexuality, or being transgender."