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

Debate contribution by Mr Gordon Lyons on 22 September 2026.

MLA: Mr Gordon Lyons
Party at the time: Democratic Unionist Party
Date: 22 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 5740830

Text

Sorry, I know that the Member is trying to move on, but this, for me, is the key point in the Bill. I do not agree with what Mr Tennyson said about the definition of "conversion therapy". It does not need to be in a clinical or therapeutic setting. How do we know that? We know it because clause 4 defines "conversion therapy" as:
"any of the following— (a) counselling or any form of talking therapy, (b) coaching or instruction".
It does not say "and" all of those things. It is not a package. It does not say that it needs to be in a clinical or therapeutic setting of any sort. That is the fundamental problem with what we have been talking about this evening. At the start, I gave Mr Tennyson the benefit of the doubt because I thought that he maybe did not intend for that to be the case, but, on a number of occasions, we have put it to him that it is in black and white, yet he does not have an answer for it, which makes me think that it was his intent. Is he trying to gaslight everybody? I do not understand how a person can read clause 4 and not understand what is on the page.

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

Assessment

Awaiting analysis

This record has not been analysed yet. It is not counted in any total until it has been assessed.

Disagree with this assessment?

Classifications can be challenged. A person reviews every challenge, and any change is recorded publicly above with its reason.

Challenge this classification