Northern Ireland Conversion Practices Bill

Northern Ireland, United KingdomNIA Bill 45/22-27Updated September 28, 2026

50%of the way to law
Bad for your rightsIn progress
  1. Introduced
  2. Second Stage agreed
  3. Passed Assembly
  4. Royal Assent

Second Stage passed September 28, 2026; in Committee Stage

Criminal offenses covering conversion practices raise speech concerns through broad definitions of therapy and psychological harm.

Latest update

Second Stage completed; Committee Stage began

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The bill

Read the full billOfficial bill record

Key facts

Where
Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
Bill number
NIA Bill 45/22-27
Status
In progress
Introduced
June 30, 2026
Threat
High
Last update
September 28, 2026

Topics

Free Speech bills

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What it does

The bill would criminalize therapy or coercive behavior intended to change or suppress sexual orientation or gender identity and causing physical or psychological harm. Therapy includes talking, counseling and coaching; psychological harm includes fear, alarm or distress. Consent is not a defense, but reasonable conduct can be. There are protections for undirected exploration and expressions of belief without direction toward a particular orientation or identity, plus an exemption for specified regulated professionals complying with their standards. Conviction on indictment can bring up to two years’ imprisonment. It is not law.

What’s at stake

Preventing coercion and abuse is a legitimate aim. But including conversational practices and distress within criminal offenses risks chilling voluntary counseling and discussion. The intent and harm requirements and explicit safeguards narrow the reach: this is not a blanket ban on expressing an opinion.

Our take

We oppose the bill as drafted because its breadth creates avoidable uncertainty for speech and consensual conversations. Its safeguards limit the offenses but do not remove that concern. Protection against abusive conduct should be tightly drawn so that people can seek support and discuss contested ideas without fearing criminal liability.

Timeline

  1. Second Stage completed; Committee Stage beganLatest

  2. Second Stage debate continued

  3. Second Stage debate began in the Assembly

  4. Committee for Communities agreed to launch a call for evidence ahead of Second Stage

  5. Introduced in the Northern Ireland Assembly

The record

Sponsor

Eóin Tennyson (Alliance Party)

Related bills

Committee for Communities: call for evidenceRelated
Last updated September 28, 2026