An attempt to equalize the age of consent for heterosexual and homosexual sex was made in 1994, when Conservative MP Edwina Currie, who proposed an amendment to that effect to the Criminal Justice and Public Order Bill.

The Lords passed the bill at second reading, but during committee stage, by a vote of 205 to 144 (a majority of 61), they agreed to an amendment which would have maintained the age of consent for anal sex (whether with a male or with a female) at 18.

The Government (which is in charge of parliamentary business in both Houses and opposed this change) did not allow the Lords a third reading vote on the amended bill.

At the end of the session, on 30 November 2000, then-Speaker of the House of Commons Michael Martin certified that the procedure set out in the Parliament Acts had been complied with.

The bill received royal assent a few hours later, and was enacted as the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 2000; its provisions came into force throughout the UK on 8 January 2001.