Stage 1 report on the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) Bill

PDF Published: Monday 22 Apr 2024 (HSCSS062024R06)

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Overview
Report

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Overview
Report
- Membership changes
- Summary of recommendations
- Introduction
- Health, Social Care and Sport Committee consideration
  - A note on language
  - Consideration by other committees
- The purpose of the Bill
  - The rationale for safe access zones
  - Existing law
- Human rights considerations
  - Article 8 rights of service users and providers
  - Article 8, 9, 10 and 11 rights of those opposed to the Bill
  - Information
  - Setting a precedent
  - Proportionality
- The Bill
  - Protected premises
  - Safe access zones
    
    Establishment of safe access zones
    
    Extension, reduction and cessation of safe access zones
  - Offences relating to safe access zones
    
    Management and enforcement of offences
    
    Defining influence
    
    Silent prayer
    
    Private premises and religious institutions
    
    Religious iconography within a safe access zone
    
    Other forms of protest
    
    Conclusion
    
    Exceptions to offences
    
    Penalties for offences
  - Ministerial guidance and general provisions
- Recommendation on the general principles of the Bill
- Annex A: Oral and written evidence
Sources

Scottish Parliament. (2024, March 12). Health, Social Care and Sport Committee, Official Report. Retrieved from https://www.parliament.scot/api/sitecore/CustomMedia/OfficialReport?meetingId=15758

Scottish Parliament. (2024, March 5). Health, Social Care and Sport Committee, Official Report. Retrieved from https://www.parliament.scot/api/sitecore/CustomMedia/OfficialReport?meetingId=15743

Scottish Government. (2023). Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) Bill Policy Memorandum. Retrieved from https://www.parliament.scot/-/media/files/legislation/bills/s6-bills/abortion-services-safe-access-zones-scotland-bill/introduced/policy-memorandum-accessible.pdf

Scottish Parliament. (2024, March 19). Health, Social Care and Sport Committee, Official Report. Retrieved from https://www.parliament.scot/api/sitecore/CustomMedia/OfficialReport?meetingId=15771

Scottish Parliament. (2024, February 27). Health, Social Care and Sport Committee, Official Report. Retrieved from https://www.parliament.scot/api/sitecore/CustomMedia/OfficialReport?meetingId=15729

The Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland (the ALLIANCE). (2024). Response to the call for views on the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) Bill. Retrieved from https://yourviews.parliament.scot/health/2af72aa4/consultation/view_respondent?show_all_questions=0&sort=submitted&order=ascending&_q__text=alliance&uuId=122751616

The Young Women's Movement. (2024). Response to the call for views on the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) Bill. Retrieved from https://yourviews.parliament.scot/health/2af72aa4/consultation/view_respondent?show_all_questions=0&sort=submitted&order=ascending&_q__text=Young+Women%27s+Movement+&uuId=665663102

COSLA. (2024). Response to the call for views on the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) Bill. Retrieved from https://yourviews.parliament.scot/health/2af72aa4/consultation/view_respondent?show_all_questions=0&sort=submitted&order=ascending&_q__text=cosla&uuId=135216100

Scottish Women’s Rights Centre. (2024). Response to the call for views on the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) Bill. Retrieved from https://yourviews.parliament.scot/health/2af72aa4/consultation/view_respondent?show_all_questions=0&sort=submitted&order=ascending&_q__text=Scottish+Women%E2%80%99s+Rights+Centre&uuId=587728572

Back Off Scotland. (2024). Response to the call for views on the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) Bill. Retrieved from https://yourviews.parliament.scot/health/2af72aa4/consultation/view_respondent?show_all_questions=0&sort=submitted&order=ascending&_q__text=back+off+scotland&uuId=889755163

Livia Tossici-Bolt. (2024). Response to the call for views on the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) Bill. Retrieved from https://yourviews.parliament.scot/health/2af72aa4/consultation/view_respondent?show_all_questions=0&sort=submitted&order=ascending&_q__text=+victims+of+this+Bill+&uuId=639365985

The Christian Institute. (2024). Response to the call for views on the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) Bill. Retrieved from https://yourviews.parliament.scot/health/2af72aa4/consultation/view_respondent?show_all_questions=0&sort=submitted&order=ascending&_q__text=christian+institute&uuId=375004108

Ian Buck. (2024). Response to the call for views on the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) Bill. Retrieved from https://yourviews.parliament.scot/health/2af72aa4/consultation/view_respondent?show_all_questions=0&sort=submitted&order=ascending&_q__text=dressing+up+draconian+restriction+on+religion+and+free+speech+in+a+cloak+pretending+to+protect+&uuId=898898200

The Society for the Protection of Unborn Children. (2024). Response to the call for views on the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) Bill. Retrieved from https://yourviews.parliament.scot/health/2af72aa4/consultation/view_respondent?show_all_questions=0&sort=submitted&order=ascending&_q__text=SPUC&uuId=336840897

Evangelical Alliance Scotland. (2024). Response to the call for views on the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) Bill. Retrieved from https://yourviews.parliament.scot/health/2af72aa4/consultation/view_respondent?show_all_questions=0&sort=submitted&order=ascending&_q__text=Evangelical+Alliance&uuId=773264019

The Free Church of Scotland. (2024). Response to the call for views on the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) Bill. Retrieved from https://yourviews.parliament.scot/health/2af72aa4/consultation/view_respondent?show_all_questions=0&sort=submitted&order=ascending&_q__text=The+Free+Church+of+Scotland&uuId=346052179

Amnesty International UK. (2024). Response to the call for views on the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) Bill. Retrieved from https://yourviews.parliament.scot/health/2af72aa4/consultation/view_respondent?show_all_questions=0&sort=submitted&order=ascending&_q__text=amnesty&uuId=937988429

Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG). (2024). Response to the call for views on the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) Bill. Retrieved from https://yourviews.parliament.scot/health/2af72aa4/consultation/view_respondent?show_all_questions=0&sort=submitted&order=ascending&_q__text=Royal+College+of+Obstetricians+and+Gynaecologists&uuId=755400694

RCGP Scotland. (2024). Response to the call for views on the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) Bill. Retrieved from https://yourviews.parliament.scot/health/2af72aa4/consultation/view_respondent?show_all_questions=0&sort=submitted&order=ascending&_q__text=rcgp&uuId=176881775

Bishops' Conference of Scotland. (2024). Response to the call for views on the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) Bill. Retrieved from https://yourviews.parliament.scot/health/2af72aa4/consultation/view_respondent?show_all_questions=0&sort=submitted&order=ascending&_q__text=Bishops%E2%80%99+Conference+of+Scotland&uuId=488490262

British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS). (2024). Response to the call for views on the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) Bill. Retrieved from https://yourviews.parliament.scot/health/2af72aa4/consultation/view_respondent?show_all_questions=0&sort=submitted&order=ascending&_q__text=BPAS&uuId=818152476

Scottish Government. (2023). Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) Bill: Financial Memorandum. Retrieved from https://www.parliament.scot/-/media/files/legislation/bills/s6-bills/abortion-services-safe-access-zones-scotland-bill/introduced/financial-memo-accessible.pdf

Chalmers sexual health service. (2024). Response to the call for views on the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) Bill. Retrieved from https://yourviews.parliament.scot/health/2af72aa4/consultation/view_respondent?show_all_questions=0&sort=submitted&order=ascending&_q__text=chalmers&uuId=1015270667

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Scotland. (2024). Response to the call for views on the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) Bill. Retrieved from https://yourviews.parliament.scot/health/2af72aa4/consultation/view_respondent?show_all_questions=0&sort=submitted&order=ascending&_q__text=rcn&uuId=398761525

Korin Queen. (2024). Response to the call for views on the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) Bill. Retrieved from https://yourviews.parliament.scot/health/2af72aa4/consultation/view_respondent?show_all_questions=0&sort=submitted&order=ascending&_q__text=appeal+to+the+judiciary+&uuId=64815000

Scottish Human Rights Commission. (2024). Response to the call for views on the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) Bill. Retrieved from https://yourviews.parliament.scot/health/2af72aa4/consultation/view_respondent?show_all_questions=0&sort=submitted&order=ascending&_q__text=Scottish+Human+Rights+Commission+&uuId=801175249

Law Society of Scotland . (2024). Response to the call for views on the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) Bill. Retrieved from https://yourviews.parliament.scot/health/2af72aa4/consultation/view_respondent?show_all_questions=0&sort=submitted&order=ascending&_q__text=Law+Society+of+Scotland+&uuId=692005989

Police Scotland. (2024, March 26). Letter from Police Scotland following their giving evidence on 5 March. Retrieved from https://www.parliament.scot/-/media/files/committees/health-social-care-and-sport-committee/correspondence/2024/saz-police-scotland-follow-up.pdf

Scottish Government. (2024, March 26). Letter from the Minister for Public Health and Women's Health following her giving evidence on 19 March. Retrieved from https://www.parliament.scot/-/media/files/committees/health-social-care-and-sport-committee/correspondence/2024/minister-phwh-saz-follow-up.pdf

Police Scotland. (2024). Response to the call for views on the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) Bill. Retrieved from https://yourviews.parliament.scot/health/2af72aa4/consultation/view_respondent?show_all_questions=0&sort=submitted&order=ascending&_q__text=police+scot&uuId=841863251

Police Scotland. (2024). Response to the call for views on the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) Bill: Financial Memorandum. Retrieved from https://yourviews.parliament.scot/finance/abortion-services-safe-access-zone-fm/consultation/view_respondent?uuId=353124309

Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS). (2024, March 15). Letter from COPFS to the HSCS Convener concerning the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) Bill. Retrieved from https://www.parliament.scot/-/media/files/committees/health-social-care-and-sport-committee/correspondence/2024/copfs-saz-response.pdf

Scottish Solicitors Bar Association. (2024, March 13). Letter from Scottish Solicitors Bar Association to HSCS Committee. Retrieved from https://www.parliament.scot/-/media/files/committees/health-social-care-and-sport-committee/correspondence/2024/20240313_ssba-abortion-safe-zone-response.pdf

Ottley, E. (2024, February 28). Letter from Emily Ottley to HSCS Committee. Retrieved from https://www.parliament.scot/-/media/files/committees/health-social-care-and-sport-committee/correspondence/2024/letter-from-emily-ottley-providing-a-follow-up-to-questions-raised-during-her-evidence-session-on-27.pdf

Law Society of Scotland. (2024, March 18). Letter from the Law Society of Scotland following their giving evidence on 12 March. Retrieved from https://www.parliament.scot/-/media/files/committees/health-social-care-and-sport-committee/correspondence/2024/law-society-of-scotland-saz-follow-up.pdf

UNISON Scotland. (2024). Response to the call for views on the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) Bill. Retrieved from https://yourviews.parliament.scot/health/2af72aa4/consultation/view_respondent?show_all_questions=0&sort=submitted&order=ascending&_q__text=unison&uuId=984253946

SPICe. (2024). SPICe Briefing, Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) Bill. Retrieved from https://bprcdn.parliament.scot/published/2024/1/31/de1bc6ac-d5ec-4a44-a00b-e2a320e31ace-1/SB%2024-05.pdf

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