Campaign Reply: LGBT Rights

Thank you for contacting me about LGBT rights. 

I am determined that everyone in the UK should be free to live their lives and fulfil their potential regardless of their sex, sexual orientation or gender identity. The LGBT community must be free to proposer in modern Britain.

I am encouraged that my colleagues in the Government Equalities Office have, over recent years, looked carefully and thoroughly into the gender recognition process, including considering potential changes to the Gender Recognition Act 2004. After careful consideration, it is their view that this existing legislation strikes the right balance between ensuring there are proper checks and balances in the system and ensuring there is support in place for people who want to change their legal sex. However, following the National LGBT survey, transgender people highlighted the obstacles of bureaucracy and cost when applying for a Gender Recognition Certificate. The Government responded to these concerns by moving the entire procedure is now online and reducing the fee from £140 to £5. 

I know that my colleagues in the Equalities Office also remain committed to tackling conversion therapy in the UK. I am absolutely clear that this practice has no place in civilised society. Being lesbian, gay or bisexual is not an illness to be treated or cured.  From the outset the Government has also been guided by the principle that any approach to banning conversion therapy has to be carefully considered to ensure that any legislation that is brought forward is effective - while not resulting in unintended impacts which can arise in this complex area. 

 I am glad that the Government is committed to ensuring that everyone has access to excellent healthcare, regardless of their sex or gender identity. In 2019, the Government appointed Dr Michael Brady as the first national adviser for LGBT health. Since his appointment, Dr Brady has liaised across NHS England and ensured that LGBT health inequalities are given consideration in its long-term planning and implementation. Further, he is working on improving data collection on sexual orientation and gender identity, has held roundtables on LGBT health, and hosted the first national NHS LGBT health conference. 

Further, I understand that the Department for Health and Social Care is currently working on guidance to enable GPs to have a better understanding of the health concerns of transgender patients, which will improve their experience of primary and community care. 

More broadly, the Government is also committed to reducing the length of waiting lists at NHS gender clinics. I understand that four new gender clinics were opened in 2020-21, which are ensuring that transgender people have greater patient choice, shorter waiting times, better geographical coverage, and, crucially, easier access. The Government has put an additional £7.9 million into the four gender clinics to bring waiting times down further. The clinics are also making it easier to fulfil the medical requirements of obtaining a Gender Recognition Certificate.

 I am positive about the steps that have been made so far in the UK to achieve LGBT equality, and this is an issue I will continue to monitor closely.