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In the earlier evidence session, Professor Cameron talked about people having to come in through a back door and be escorted, which means that there is the issue of access and people needing ID to open doors and so on. Lesley Sharkey, what are your thoughts on the perimeter of safe access zones—so that people are not approached or harassed—where that requires access to alternative entrances to the front door?

I wish a good morning to you all, and thank you for being here.

I am interested in issues around protected premises and their definition. I know that healthcare provision varies across Scotland, so the 200m zone might need to be extended for certain parts.

Our briefing notes say that the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities

“expressed its support for the provision to extend safe access zones as necessary”.

However, they also mention that COSLA talked about

“further stakeholder engagement to explore how information about protected premises, and their surrounding safe access zones, could be effectively communicated to interested parties”.

I am interested in any thoughts about the definition of protected premises and whether 200m is, in your opinion, adequate.

I have a final question. Professor Cameron talked about women having to go in through the back door of premises. I suppose that a defined zone should include the detail that particular premises are required to allow people to access them safely through the front door without having to go through a safe-access process with identification badges, people being escorted and so on.

I will pick up on that point. Colin Poolman from the RCN was on the previous panel. Taking the scenario of a labour dispute, such as we have seen, with someone approaching a hospital to receive a service and seeing placards and folks standing in scrubs, we would need to ensure that some language in the bill allowed the unions to make a protest about wages or terms and conditions, or whatever. How would we ensure that, if I was approaching the hospital from a distance, I would not assume that what I could see was an anti-abortion protest?

You spoke about extension, but what about reduction of safe zones? I read in a briefing that we need to consider that. How would that work if future ministers were against abortion? How do we ensure that extension and reduction can be continued and that we can provide safe access zones?

Okay.

Good morning to you all, and thank you for being here today.

Dr Provan talked a little already about premises other than abortion providers—for example, general practices and perhaps even pharmacies. I would like to hear your thoughts on the definition of “protected premises”. Is there enough in the bill to enable it to be future proofed or applied to other premises?

Section 7 refers to

“Extension of safe access zones”

and says that

“Scottish Ministers may approve an application made under subsection (1)”.

Is there enough information there to allow more sites to have safe access zones?

The bill proposes a 200m radius, but there will be places that will require a wider, or perhaps a different, area. Do you have any thoughts about the 200m limit?

Therefore, the future-proofing aspects of the bill’s provisions need to ensure that there is the flexibility to allow for GP practices, pharmacies or other locations to be included, based on application and ministerial approval. Is anything missing from the bill with regard to expanding or even reducing the premises that are covered?

Thinking about my original questions to the cabinet secretary, and noting that these regulations stem from the 2022 act, I think it important that we achieve a healthy nation that is underpinned by good diets, as is set out in the act. I am interested in our pursuing the core values of the food commission, which are to support Scottish agriculture and food production, to ensure Scottish food security and to ensure that the food commission will work closely with our valued Scottish farmers. I would like to make sure that we achieve that as we progress.