MSPs back abortion clinic buffer zone bill at first stage

The bill received support from across the chamber.

The Scottish Conservatives’ Meghan Gallacher said debates on the issue could be emotive and polarising.

She said: “This bill in my opinion is simply about women and creating safe access to healthcare where they don’t feel intimidated or harassed.”

She said the largest “stumbling block” was how the bill would be enforced, adding it would be “incredibly difficult” for police officers to determine breaches of the proposed bill.

Scottish Labour’s spokesperson for public and women’s health, Clare Mochan, said while the government had been “slow to act”, she supported the legislation.

She said: “It is right that we take all steps necessary to protect women accessing abortion services and I do believe the introduction of safe access will achieve this.

“Access to abortion clinics is access to healthcare. We cannot continue to condone the intimidation of women accessing healthcare that they are rightfully entitled to.”

The leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, Alex Cole-Hamilton, also gave his party’s support to the bill, stating “nobody should be forced to cross a picket line to access intimate medical care”.

The bill will now progress to stage two where committees will suggest and discuss amendments. Stage three will see the whole chamber vote on the legislation.