LEGISLATION to introduce buffer zones outside of abortion clinics will hopefully be brought in “as quickly as possible”, Gillian Mackay has said as she launched a consultation on her member’s bill.
The Green MSP announced that the public can now have their say on the issue after an increase in clashes between pro-life protesters outside of clinics and the women trying to use their services.
Mackay said that the goal behind her member’s bill, which hasn’t been laid in parliament just yet, is to allow women to have access to healthcare, which can sometimes be life-saving.
The 150-meter zone would stop anti-abortion protesters from standing outside clinics with placards and shouting at patients using services. A recent clash outside of the Sandyford clinic in Glasgow prompted fury amongst the public.
Speaking outside of Holyrood, Mackay was asked what the expected time frame between her consultation and Bill will be.
She said: “The consultation is launched today so everyone can go and fill it in, either on the Scottish Government website or at bufferzones.scot.
“We hope that the legislation will come forward as soon as possible, obviously parliamentary timelines and things like that are sometimes out of our control but we are committed along with back off scotland and be pass who are helping support the legislation to bring it forward as quickly as we possibly can.”
Mackay said there were “complexities” with the legislation as local government believe the power lies in Holyrood, whilst the Scottish Government believes the opposite and that councils have the powers needed.
In the meantime Mackay said she would back any by-laws that local authorities were seeking to introduce.
She added: “I hope that the summit that the First Minister is organising as well will hopefully be able to provide some interim measures before the legislation comes into place to make sure people can access these services and what is essentially essential health care - without intimidation or harassment.”
Mackay added: “I think it’s so important because abortion is health care and people have an absolute right to access healthcare without intimidation or harassment and I think for too long this has been going on.
“We’ve seen the frequency and scale of these protests increasing over years and over the last week the escalation at Sandyford as well so I think it’s essential we make sure it comes forward quickly so that people are not experiencing [these protests] for years on end.”
Lucy Grieve, 25, a campaigner with Back Off Scotland, told The National that she is confident the consultation will lead to a new law being brought in.
She said: “We’ve always been really confident that this is going to get leglislated against. We’ve got political consensus already and cross-party support certainly.
“I think people can realise that this isn’t a freedom of speech or freedom to protest issue, it’s access to healthcare. Have your views whatever they are, just you know don’t impose them on somebody who’s at a hospital door, maybe going through the worst day of their life.”
Those wishing to share their views on the consultation can do so on the Scottish Parliament website or at bufferzones.scot.
