Health and Care Bill — House of Lords, 2022-02-09
Topic: Civil Rights
Joanna Penn (Conservative, Centre-right): My Lords, it is a pleasure to hopefully conclude this Committee stage of the Bill with some government amendments, which I hope will receive a welcome from the Committee. When we announced our intention to become one of the first countries in the world to fully ban virginity testing, in the Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls strategy, we also stated that we would establish an independent expert panel to review the ethical, legal and clinical aspects of hymenoplasty, a cosmetic procedure to reconstruct a hymen. This announcement followed concerns, highlighted in an internal review into virginity testing and hymenoplasty, that demand for hymenoplasty is driven by a repressive approach to female sexuality and is closely linked to virginity testing—an abhorrent practice that the Government brought forward an amendment to ban in the House of Commons However, as hymenoplasty is a cosmetic procedure, we recognised that a ban on it would mark a step change that could be counter to existing regulation on cosmetic procedures. Further concerns were raised that a ban would take away a woman’s right to choose what happens to her body. The panel’s task was to carefully consider these incredibly difficult and competing issues at length. The panel has now delivered its final report to the Government, which includes a robust set of recommendations. I take this opportunity to thank the co-chairs and all the panel members for the time and commitment they have dedicated, on a voluntary basis, to this incredibly important issue As we announced in Our Vision for the Women’s Health Strategy for England, the Government agree with the panel’s core recommendation that hymenoplasty should be banned. It is inextricably linked to virginity testing, and failure to prohibit hymenoplasty would not only undermine the Government’s commitment to address the violence against women and girls by criminalising virginity testing but also leave women and girls at risk of further harm and continue to perpetrate the harmful myths and attitudes towards virginity The package of amendments brought before the House today delivers on this promise. It would create three offences: carrying out hymenoplasty, offering hymenoplasty, and aiding or abetting another person to carry out hymenoplasty in the UK or on UK nationals overseas. Each of these offences carries a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine. This sentencing reflects the long-term physical and psychological damage that this repressive practice can cause. These offences, alongside the proposed virginity testing offences, begin to tackle the harmful misconceptions that surround a woman’s sexuality In response to concerns that vulnerable women and girls will be taken abroad and subjected to hymenoplasty once the offence is banned in the UK, these offences also carry extraterritorial jurisdiction. These proposals have been discussed by Health Ministers across the UK, and my noble friend is working with them to ensure the whole of the UK, together, tackles this harmful practice These amendments are an important milestone in this Government’s ongoing mission to safeguard women and girls but our work will not stop here. The Government recognise that banning virginity testing and hymenoplasty alone will not tackle the harmful misconceptions and misbeliefs surrounding virginity. That is why we will also put in place a programme of education in community, education and clinical settings Finally, I give thanks to my noble friend Lady Sugg for bringing the practice of hymenoplasty to the attention of this House, and for the wider work she is doing on this issue to improve the lives of women and girls. I hope the House will pass the Government’s amendments today and allow our important work on safeguarding and improving the lives of women and girls across the UK to continue. I beg to move.