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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 March 2025
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Displaying 1250 contributions

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Health, Social Care and Sport Committee 5 March 2024

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

Meeting date: 5 March 2024

Ross Greer

You mentioned the most commonly handed-out leaflet, which committee members are aware of and which includes misinformation about things such as the risk of breast cancer. Have you seen examples of that having an impact after it has been handed to a woman who is seeking an abortion? Have your staff had to have a discussion other than the one that was expected because of concerns about information in the leaflet?

Health, Social Care and Sport Committee 5 March 2024

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

Meeting date: 5 March 2024

Ross Greer

I want to follow up on the point about silent prayer and intent so that I understand it correctly. I am trying to figure out how unprecedented the proposals are, because that is the argument that some folk are making. I understand that the comparison that I am drawing is not like for like, because it concerns stalking and harassment. It is not illegal to stand silently outside somebody else’s house, but my understanding is that, if you are doing it as part of a pattern of behaviour in which you are stalking the individual, that is already an offence under the law. Police officers are already being asked to make judgments about intent in not entirely dissimilar circumstances, are they not?

Health, Social Care and Sport Committee 5 March 2024

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

Meeting date: 5 March 2024

Ross Greer

That is useful. I asked that partly so that I could understand just how unprecedented the proposals would be, given my lack of familiarity with other areas of the law.

Health, Social Care and Sport Committee 5 March 2024

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

Meeting date: 5 March 2024

Ross Greer

Would you like to add to that, Dr Wallage?

10:30  

Health, Social Care and Sport Committee 5 March 2024

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

Meeting date: 5 March 2024

Ross Greer

That takes us neatly on to Gerry Corrigan and the impact on the police, but I believe that colleagues will cover that.

Health, Social Care and Sport Committee 5 March 2024

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

Meeting date: 5 March 2024

Ross Greer

In the previous evidence session, Professor Cameron gave us the example of images being projected on to a facility from a distance. I understand that you might not want to talk about specific incidents that have happened in the past but, in general, are your officers currently able to take any action if somebody is projecting images of a fetus or anti-abortion messages—whatever it might be—on to a hospital from a distance? Obviously, buildings have windows, and some of those images would enter the facility.

Health, Social Care and Sport Committee 5 March 2024

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

Meeting date: 5 March 2024

Ross Greer

That is really useful. Thank you.

Health, Social Care and Sport Committee 5 March 2024

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

Meeting date: 5 March 2024

Ross Greer

Thanks. I note your point that the protesters are not qualified healthcare professionals.

Health, Social Care and Sport Committee 5 March 2024

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

Meeting date: 5 March 2024

Ross Greer

Is the situation similar for you, Lesley?

Health, Social Care and Sport Committee 5 March 2024

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

Meeting date: 5 March 2024

Ross Greer

Finally, if there is a protest outside one of your facilities, the threat of a protest or awareness that one might be coming up, what does that mean in practice for you? Do you have to do things differently? Do you have to provide different information to people who are accessing the service? What is the impact on you and your staff? How do you deal with the protest or the threat of one?