Debate contribution: Conversion Practices (Criminalisation) Bill: Second Stage

Debate contribution by Mr Gordon Lyons on 15 September 2026.

MLA: Mr Gordon Lyons
Party at the time: Democratic Unionist Party
Date: 15 September 2026
Type: Debate contribution (made as a minister)
Business: Private Members' Business
Heading: Conversion Practices (Criminalisation) Bill: Second Stage
Assembly identifier: Official Report component 5705742

Text

I appreciate the Member's giving way. I think that he fundamentally misunderstands my position, because I absolutely have an issue with some of the horrible, degrading treatments that have taken place in the past. There should be no place for violence in our society. Therefore, it is not contradictory to want to make sure that stuff that is clearly wrong is punished while making sure that stuff that should be legal can be legal. He also misunderstands what I am saying about making sure that there is clarity and that we actually close the gap by covering that which may be missing. My problem is that the Bill goes far too far the other way.

115 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

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