Alan Turing Pardon Bill

This bill would give Alan Turing a statutory pardon. A statutory pardon is an official legal forgiveness passed by Parliament. Alan Turing was a mathematician and codebreaker who helped Britain win World War Two by breaking German codes. In 1952, he was convicted of gross indecency because homosexual acts were illegal at that time. He died in 1954. The Queen already gave Turing a royal pardon in 2013, but this bill would make the pardon official in law. The government says this recognises Turing's service to the country and corrects a historical injustice. Some people say the bill is symbolic since Turing already has a royal pardon. Others say it sets an important legal precedent for acknowledging past wrongs done to people because of laws that society now considers unjust.

• 1Creates a statutory pardon for Alan Turing in law
• 2Turing was convicted in 1952 when homosexual acts were illegal
• 3He was a key World War Two codebreaker who helped defeat Germany
• 4The Queen already pardoned him in 2013 but this makes it statutory
• 5Government says it corrects a historical injustice against Turing