Overview

A note on language 

The wording used in this call for views mirrors the language of the documents accompanying the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) Scotland Bill. As the Policy Memorandum stated, terms such as “people who access or provide services”, “anti-abortion”, and “protester” were used as umbrella terms, intended to describe actions rather than motivations.  

About the Bill 

The Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) Scotland Bill proposes to create “safe access zones” around places where abortion services are provided. These places are referred to as “protected premises” throughout the Bill and this call for views.  

The Bill is not concerned with whether or not abortion services should be legal, and does not propose any changes to abortion law in Scotland.  

Normally, safe access zones will consist of the protected premises, their public grounds and any other public land within 200 metres of the protected premises. However, the Bill includes provisions to extend or reduce the 200-metre radius of a safe access zone as needed.  

The Bill makes it an offence for people within a safe access zone to act in a way that might prevent a person from getting an abortion, or make them feel harassed while they are accessing abortion services. This might include holding up signs with anti-abortion messages, protesting in relation to abortion, or blocking the entrance to a protected premises.  

The Bill also makes it an offence for someone within 200 metres of protected premises but not on public land (and so not within the safe access zone) to act in a way that might result in pressure or distress for someone within a safe access zone who is accessing abortion services. This could include displaying anti-abortion messaging from a balcony or window that can be seen from inside the safe access zone, or using a loudspeaker to protest in a way that can be heard from within a safe access zone. People who are convicted of offences in relation to this Bill would be subject to a fine. 

MSPs on the Scottish Parliament’s Health, Social Care and Sport Committee are looking at the details of the Bill, and want to know what people think about them. 

Knowing your views will help Members assess how to improve the proposed law, and whether the draft Bill should be passed into law by the Scottish Parliament. 

How to submit your views

Share your detailed views on the specific provisions in the the Bill (detailed consultation) 

Please submit your detailed views via the submission form linked to below. 

If you wish to provide a short response on the general principles of the bill, please click here to return to the main page for this Call for Views. 

We welcome written views in English, Gaelic, Scots or any other language.  

We would like to hear from you by 23:59 on Wednesday 20 December 2023.