THE Scottish Government is "sending out the wrong message" on abortion law as it lags behind reform across the rest of the UK, a leading campaigner has said.
In a draft SNP conference agenda leaked to The National, a proposal has been put forward to . remove criminal penalties from women who terminate their pregnancies, with Scotland now the only place in the UK that has not yet done this.
And Lucy Grieve, co-founder of campaign group Back Off Scotland and policy and engagement manager at the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, said two years on from enshrining abortion clinic buffer zones in law, the Scottish Government must work "at pace" to remove criminal penalties.
Abortion law in England and Wales was reformed in April to stop the criminal prosecution of women who end their own pregnancies at any stage via the Crime and Policing Act 2026.
The Scottish Parliament gained control over abortion laws in 2016 and so needs to enact separate legislation.
The Abortion Act of 1967 ensured people could get a termination legally but only under certain circumstances. The process requires the approval of two doctors and any termination beyond 24 weeks of a pregnancy is considered to be illegal and women can be prosecuted.
An expert group was set up in 2024 that last year urged the Scottish Government to decriminalise abortion.
Grieve told The National: "When Westminster moved to decriminalise women from abortion law in the House of Commons last year, it was the largest pro-choice majority of any abortion-related vote in the history of the UK.
"This support transcends Westminster, with record numbers of the public supporting a woman’s right to choose here in Scotland.
"There is clear political and public support for an updated abortion law in Holyrood, and every day that passes without a clear timeline for this sends the wrong message."
The motion in the draft SNP conference agenda states that Scotland "is not meeting international health and human rights standards for access to health care" in failing to reform abortion law.
Grieve led the Back Off Scotland campaign to bring buffer zones outside abortion clinics into law, with Scottish Greens co-leader Gillian Mackay spearheading the legislation that was passed in 2024.
But campaigners have always been clear buffer zones should only mark the beginning of reforming law to protect women looking to terminate their pregnancy.
Grieve said as abortion rights are attacked globally, the Scottish Government must seize the moment to act on reforming law, adding that a consultation on the recommendations of the expert group should be included in the Programme for Government next week.
"The safe access zone bill was the Scottish Parliament at its best – with near consensus that people should be able to access and provide abortion care without fear of intimidation and harassment," she said.
"But more than two years have now passed since this, and Scotland now has a really unique opportunity to bring government legislation to reform abortion law and strengthen the reproductive rights of millions.
"In the face of attacks to abortion rights around the world, and increasingly at home, the Scottish Government must be bold, do the right thing, and pro-actively work at pace to bring legislation to reform our outdated abortion laws."
Grieve added: "In their manifesto, the SNP committed to running a consultation on the recommendations of the Expert Group Abortion Law review. We hope to see a clear timeline for this set out at a minimum in the Programme for Government."
Amnesty International has previously documented an "alarming increase" in well-funded activity aimed at rolling back reproductive rights and wants to see all parties at Holyrood championing universal access to safe abortion.
The expert group report also states the requirement for two doctors to certify an abortion before 24 weeks gestation should be removed.
It recommends no specified grounds should be required to access abortion care up to 24 weeks gestation and abortions after this gestational limit should be permitted under certain circumstances.
Decisions regarding abortions over 24 weeks gestation should be made in good faith by two healthcare professionals, who must agree that the abortion is appropriate, except in cases where an abortion is immediately necessary to save the life of the pregnant woman, the report says.
Elsewhere, the report suggests the requirement to notify the Chief Medical Officer of an abortion should be removed.
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The Scottish Government continues to review the law on abortion following the publication of an independent expert group’s report in November 2025.”
