The UK Parliament’s Joint Committee on Human Rights recently examined the Draft Conversion Practices Bill. The session turned contentious when Christian LGBT campaigner Jayne Ozanne argued that even well-meaning prayers asking someone to become straight are insidious and should be treated as a criminal act.
Ozanne’s testimony and the prospect of criminalising prayer
Speaking to Labour MP Danny Beales, Ozanne was asked whether a person who prays for another’s heterosexuality ought to face prosecution. She replied, “You’d criminalise it, but whether you’d prosecute is another matter.” Ozanne suggested that a first-offence warning might be issued, yet repeated prayers could attract harsher penalties. She framed the issue as one of fear – planting terror in families who might otherwise approach their LGBT relatives with prayer.
Three stages of religious response, according to Ozanne
When questioned by Sir Jeremy Wright KC, Ozanne described a typical progression for Christians who discover an LGBT identity. Stage 1 involves concealment; stage 2 sees friends and family gathering to pray for the person; stage 3 escalates to seeking counselling, exorcism or other “professional” services to eradicate the identity. Ozanne argued that the Bill should primarily target stage 3 activities – that is, organisations that claim to “cure” sexuality – but she also hoped to deter the earlier phases by injecting “fear”.
How the Draft Conversion Practices Bill defines prohibited conduct
The proposed legislation casts a very wide net. It defines a conversion practice as “any conduct” intended to change sexual orientation or gender identity, explicitly including prayer and private conversations. The Bill further distinguishes “abusive conversion practices”, but the test for abuse is described as “subjective” and relies on whether the act caused “serious harm, alarm or distress”. Critics argue that ordinary pastoral care would rarely meet that threshold, yet the presence of criminal sanctions creates a chilling effect.
Beyond direct actions, the Bill creates offences for “encouraging or assisting an abusive conversion practice performed outside England and Wales” and for issuing “Conversion Practice Protection Orders”. These provisions can be triggered without any concrete words or deeds, potentially allowing pre-emptive investigations of religious leaders or parents based only on intent.
Widespread opposition from religious and civil-liberty groups
A coalition of Christian organisations – including the Christian Medical Fellowship, Christian Concern, the Coalition for Marriage, the Free Speech Union, the Christian Institute and even the Gay Men’s Network – has warned that the Bill threatens both freedom of speech and the right of families to support their children. They contend that the legislation could criminalise pastoral prayer, counselling and even private familial discussions.
In response, faith-based advocates are urging supporters to submit evidence to the Committee by the statutory deadline (16 November 2026). Guidance circles around highlighting real-world examples of how the Bill would criminalise genuine pastoral care, and calling on churches to speak openly about biblical teachings while rejecting any form of coercive “conversion”.
Specialist ministries such as Core Issues Trust, Desert Stream and the International Foundation for Therapeutic and Counselling Choice, together with peer-support networks like X-Out-Loud, are being promoted as alternatives for individuals seeking help that respects both faith and personal dignity.
Overall, the debate underscores a clash between the government’s ambition to eradicate harmful “conversion therapy” and a segment of religious communities that view prayer-based support as a legitimate, non-coercive expression of faith. As the Committee prepares its final report, the outcome will shape the balance between protecting LGBT people from abuse and safeguarding religious liberty in the United Kingdom.
