Gay and trans conversion therapy ban bill expected to be published 

A bill to ban gay and transgender conversion therapy is expected to be published next week, multiple sources have told Sky News.

The practice seeks to suppress or change a person's sexual orientation or gender identity.

A ban was first promised in July 2018 by then prime minister Theresa May, and it has since been pledged in four of the last five King's or Queen's speeches, where governments set out plans for new laws.

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Downing Street told reporters on Friday they had no update on when the bill would be published.

A government spokesperson has previously told Sky News they would "provide an update on this early in the second session" of parliament, which began in mid-May.

"Conversion practices are abuse - such acts have no place in society, and this government is taking a clear stand against them," the spokesperson said.

Some religious groups have expressed concern about still being able to offer counsel to people who may be confused about their sexual orientation or gender identity.

The bill is expected to be published in draft form next week. This allows ministers to consult on it more widely before MPs begin the process of formally voting on it.

But it also means it is likely still some way before a ban finally makes it onto the statute book and gives it a lower chance of completing all its parliamentary stages in the next year.

Dr Alice Lily, senior researcher at the independent Institute for Government thinktank, told Sky News that how quickly the ban progresses "will depend a bit on how much policy work has already gone into the draft [bill] and what the response to it is like".

"It does feel as though there's a lot in this King's Speech and so a lot to get through... given everything else [the government] is committing to, it might be tricky to get that particular bill turned around and passed within the session," she added.

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Labour MP Kate Osborne previously told Sky News she was concerned that the conversion therapy ban is the "only bill [in the King's Speech] that specifies draft".

"It just gives people more opportunity to frustrate what is an already delayed and very necessary bill," she said.

However, she said she believes ministers do have "every intention of pushing this through as soon as possible".

May's King's Speech contained 37 bills, a high number compared to many speeches in recent years.

Labour MP Rachel Taylor said she welcomes the government's commitment to passing a ban.

"LGBT+ people have waited for far too long for this vital bill, so I welcome the government's commitment to passing it, and particularly that it will be trans-inclusive.

"Conversion practices are abuse, and it is high time the law made that crystal clear," she added.

LGBTQ+ rights charity Stonewall previously told Sky News it welcomes "the government's commitment to publish a draft bill to ban conversion practices".

But it pointed to the number of times a ban has been promised by successive governments and said, "We have been here too many times before".

It said the government must "publish a draft bill before parliament breaks for the summer recess".

Publishing the bill next week would meet this challenge.

Ian Tucker-Bell was subject to conversion therapy by his church between the ages of 17 and 20 in the late 1980s.

He said he was "glad to hear" the bill is being published, although he is "keen to see the detail".

Referring to previous delays, he had told Sky News he didn't "understand why this is so difficult to ban" and asked: "What other form of abuse would have so much delay in banning?"

Mr Tucker-Bell added he was on "the impatient side of eager to get this over the line, but at the same time I recognise our due processes take time."

"I just hope there is the will, determination, and momentum to get us to the finish line."

(c) Sky News 2026: Gay and trans conversion therapy ban bill expected to be published