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Chamber and committees

Official Report: search what was said in Parliament

The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.  

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Dates of parliamentary sessions
  1. Session 1: 12 May 1999 to 31 March 2003
  2. Session 2: 7 May 2003 to 2 April 2007
  3. Session 3: 9 May 2007 to 22 March 2011
  4. Session 4: 11 May 2011 to 23 March 2016
  5. Session 5: 12 May 2016 to 5 May 2021
  6. Current session: 12 May 2021 to 16 August 2025
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Displaying 1174 contributions

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Health, Social Care and Sport Committee

Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 12 March 2024

Paul Sweeney

We have covered a lot of ground, but we still have a great deal to cover, so, if the witnesses are amenable, I am minded to extend the evidence session by 15 minutes, to 11 am.

We have not yet covered an issue that was brought up in a previous evidence session, which was a concern that information distributed to people accessing abortion clinics by those engaged in activities covered by the bill is not always factually accurate—I am thinking of, for example, the medical consequences of the procedure. Do any of the witnesses have a view on ensuring that clinically accurate—and not necessarily sensationalist or alarmist—material is distributed?

10:30  

Health, Social Care and Sport Committee

Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 12 March 2024

Paul Sweeney

We resume our scrutiny of the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) Bill. Our second evidence session will explore human rights considerations. I welcome to the meeting Eilidh Dickson, who is the policy and international officer at the Scottish Human Rights Commission and is attending virtually. All other witnesses are here in person. I welcome the Rev Stephen Allison, who is the public engagement co-ordinator for the Free Church of Scotland, Rob Gowans, who is the policy and public affairs manager for the Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland, known as the ALLIANCE, and Dr Catriona McMillan, who is former convener of the health and medical law sub-committee of the Law Society of Scotland.

We will move straight to questions from members and I invite Ivan McKee to start.

Health, Social Care and Sport Committee

Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 12 March 2024

Paul Sweeney

I thank our witnesses for attending. Are there any other points that you wish to raise that you do not think we have covered so far in the evidence sessions? No, everyone seems content to stop there. If there are any further items that you want to correspond with us on, you are more than welcome to do so. There has already been some discussion about some items of correspondence that we will follow up on. I reiterate our thanks for taking the time today to come to the committee and help us scrutinise this legislation.

At our next meeting, on 19 March, we will conclude our evidence taking in our stage 1 scrutiny of the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) Bill. We will hear from the Minister for Public Health and Women’s Health and then from the member in charge of the bill, Gillian Mackay MSP. That concludes the public part of our meeting today. Thank you.

12:28 Meeting continued in private until 13:01.  

Health, Social Care and Sport Committee

Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 12 March 2024

Paul Sweeney

Thank you.

Health, Social Care and Sport Committee

Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 12 March 2024

Paul Sweeney

We have 10 seconds left. Dr Gulhane has a very quick supplementary.

Health, Social Care and Sport Committee

Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 12 March 2024

Paul Sweeney

That is an interesting point. Are there practical scenarios to consider? Do you see, for example, hospital chaplains potentially being impacted by the legislation?

Health, Social Care and Sport Committee

Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 12 March 2024

Paul Sweeney

The Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee is considering petition PE2049, which calls on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to introduce buffer zones outside migrant accommodation to protect occupants from demonstrations by anti-migrant groups. Although it noted that there were a number of issues to be dealt with, the Scottish Government has committed to looking into the feasibility of that proposal, so that is another case that might be worth considering.

Health, Social Care and Sport Committee

Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 12 March 2024

Paul Sweeney

Thank you very much, Alina. I now invite Isabel to address the committee.

Health, Social Care and Sport Committee

Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 12 March 2024

Paul Sweeney

Ross, I should just advise that Isabel Vaughan-Spruce and Dr Pickering would like to come in, too.

Health, Social Care and Sport Committee

Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 12 March 2024

Paul Sweeney

We are right out of time. I really appreciate that the witnesses have stayed longer. It was a worthwhile exercise. If there is any additional information that you would like to share with us in relation to our scrutiny of the bill, please write to us.

I suspend the meeting briefly to allow for a changeover of witnesses.

11:02 Meeting suspended.  

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