Labour government reveals talks with SNP ministers over 'trans-inclusive' conversion therapy ban

The UK government has held talks with SNP ministers over a “trans-inclusive” ban on conversion therapy with Labour vowing to press ahead with completely abolishing the practice.

The Scottish Government shelved its plans for legislation to outlaw conversion therapy despite previously committing to do so. Instead, First Minister John Swinney said SNP ministers will work alongside Westminster and implement a proposed law for England and Wales in Scotland.

Trans rights protesters in Edinburgh (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

The UK government has pledged to bring forward legislation to end conversion practices by the end of the parliament in 2029. Labour ministers are yet to publish a draft Bill on banning conversion practices.

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Campaigners have called for a full ban to be dropped, claiming that young people could be put at risk of pursuing a medical pathway that will damage their bodies.

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Calls to drop a full ban have ramped up following the Supreme Court ruling that defined a woman in the Equality Act as referring to a biological woman, despite the ruling explicitly stating the decision was not “a triumph of one or more groups in our society at the expense of another”. Trans people can legally change gender with a gender recognition certificate.

Labour Equalities Minister, Nia Griffith, told MPs that “conversion practices have no place in today's society”, adding that the UK government was “committed to bringing forward trans-inclusive legislation to ban these outdated and abusive acts”.

Scottish Liberal Democrat MP Christine Jardine warned her party has “been concerned” about the lack of draft legislation, but stressed she was “relieved to hear” the UK government remains committed to a full ban on conversion therapy.

Christine Jardine MP

She added: “Given the amount of fear and anxiety that there is among the trans community in this country, can she reassure the House that when the Bill comes forward, it will be UK-wide to overcome the Scottish Government’s withdrawal of their proposals?”

Dame Nia said that the UK government is “in talks with officials in the Scottish Parliament” for the legislation to apply across the UK.

She added: “I also assure her that we will be bringing this legislation forward very soon, and that there will be a proper opportunity for that pre-legislative scrutiny, which I know she will want to take part in.”

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A memorandum of understanding, signed by groups including NHS Scotland and the Royal College of GPs in 2017, agreed that “the practice of conversion therapy, whether in relation to sexual orientation or gender identity, is unethical and potentially harmful”.

Dame Nia said: “Our draft legislation on conversion practices will be trans-inclusive. It is crucial that trans people are safe, included, and protected from harm and discrimination.

“The previous government repeatedly broke their promises to deliver on the issue of conversion practices and allowed the debate to become ever more toxic and divided.”

Kaukab Stewart | PA

Speaking in Holyrood last month, SNP Equalities Minister Kaukab Stewart pointed to an “intention to work with the United Kingdom government to fully explore legislation that would cover England, Wales and Scotland”.

But she warned that “if the UK government’s Bill does not meet our priorities or does not go far enough, we intend to publish our own Bill in the first year of the next parliamentary session”.