The health secretary has said the government will not ban conversion therapy for transgender individuals.

Quizzed by Sky News’ Breakfast show on the government’s plans to ban conversion therapy for lesbian and gay people, he said a “much more sensitive approach [is required] when it comes to trans [people]”.

“When it comes to conversion therapy it is absolutely right, as the Government has said, that we ban the so-called conversion therapy for LGB people,” he explained.

His comments come after the government cancelled its inaugural LGBT conference Following 100 plus groups withdrawing from the event citing concerns over the u-turn on trans conversion therapy.

“When it comes to trans, I do think that we need to be more careful. You asked me again as Health Secretary, in my mind is, for example, the recent report by Dr Hilary Cass, she is one of the most experienced paediatricians in this country, she has just published an interim report a few weeks ago and she talked about how children and young people when they say they have gender dysphoria it is right for medical experts to be able to question that and to determine what the cause might be.

“Is it a genuine case of gender identity dysphoria or could it be that that individual is suffering from some child sex abuse for example or could it be linked to bullying,” he argued.

“So I think it is right to take the approach that we have which is to ban conversion therapy for LGB but to take a much more sensitive approach when it comes to trans.”

Conservative MP William Wragg commented on the plans via Twitter last night, writing: “If banning conversion therapy will stop the likes of me being subjected to mental cruelty in repressing my true self, why not so for someone who is trans? I can see no logic in excluding trans people from legislation banning conversion therapy. Let’s have some empathy.”