MPs and peers take evidence on draft conversion practices ban

The joint committee of MPs and peers examining the draft Conversion Practices Bill will hear oral evidence in public on Thursday 29 October, from 12.15pm in Committee Room 2 of the Palace of Westminster. It will hear first from Stonewall, Galop and the Ban Conversion Practices Coalition, and then from the Gay Men’s Network, Sex Matters and LGB Alliance.

The draft bill, published on 25 June, would create a new offence of carrying out an “abusive” conversion practice in England and Wales, punishable by up to five years in prison. The explanatory notes describe a conversion practice as any conduct intended to make someone have or not have a particular sexual orientation or transgender identity, or to believe that they do or do not. The offence applies where the conduct causes serious harm to physical or mental health, or serious alarm or distress that substantially affects day-to-day life.

The bill would also create conversion practice protection orders, which courts could impose and which would carry a prison sentence of up to two years if breached.

Questions for churches

The explanatory notes say the bill is “not intended to interfere with people’s right to religious belief and expression”. That is a statement of intent, not an exemption. The notes do not mention prayer, pastoral care or conversations between parents and their children, which is where Christians and other faith groups will be looking for clear protection. The only exclusion they describe is for conduct in the course of a health care service.

Asked by Labour MP Tom Hayes when the bill would be introduced, the Government said in a written answer on 22 October: “The draft Bill will be undergoing pre-legislative scrutiny until 22 January, when the Joint Committee will share its recommendations with the Government. We will consider the Committee’s recommendations carefully and respond to them, after which we will introduce legislation when Parliamentary time allows.”

The draft bill does not extend to Scotland or Northern Ireland. In Northern Ireland, a separate Conversion Practices (Criminalisation) Bill, brought by Alliance MLA Eóin Tennyson, passed its second stage on 28 September and is now with the Assembly’s Committee for Communities.