Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament (Hybrid) 04 November 2021
04 Nov 2021 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Abortion Clinic Buffer Zones
In relation to targeted measures and byelaws, does the minister agree that groups could move to other areas if such byelaws were to be introduced for an area, and that therefore, instead of tackling the issue throughout Scotland, we would be moving the issue between areas?
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur)
LD
I remind members of the Covid-related measures that are in place and that face coverings should be worn when moving around the chamber and across the Holyroo...
Gillian Mackay (Central Scotland) (Green)
Green
I open the debate by recording my sincere thanks to all those who have worked so hard on abortion clinic buffer zones, including the Back Off Scotland campai...
Elena Whitham (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (SNP)
SNP
I thank Gillian Mackay for securing the debate. Abortion is a legal right in Scotland; it is essential healthcare for women, and access to abortion services...
Meghan Gallacher (Central Scotland) (Con)
Con
I thank Gillian Mackay for securing this members’ business debate on such an important topic. Members of the Scottish Parliament will have differing views wh...
Carol Mochan (South Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
I thank Gillian Mackay and the campaigners at Back Off Scotland for bringing this vital issue to the Parliament. My colleague Monica Lennon has, unfortunate...
Stephanie Callaghan (Uddingston and Bellshill) (SNP)
SNP
I, too, thank Gillian Mackay for bringing her motion to the chamber for debate. Women in Scotland have a fundamental right to access pregnancy healthcare ser...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
I am conscious of the number of speakers who still want to contribute to the debate, so I am minded to accept a motion without notice, under rule 8.14.3, to ...
Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (LD)
LD
I commend the exceptional quality of all speeches that have been made in the debate and praise Gillian Mackay for bringing the topic to the chamber. I also t...
John Mason (Glasgow Shettleston) (SNP)
SNP
I thank Gillian Mackay for bringing the debate to the chamber and for giving us the opportunity to discuss a sensitive subject. I realise that some would ar...
Pam Duncan-Glancy (Glasgow) (Lab)
Lab
Will the member take an intervention?
John Mason
SNP
It is probably better that I do not take an intervention. The tone of the debate has been good so far, so I will just carry on, if the member does not mind. ...
Pam Duncan-Glancy (Glasgow) (Lab)
Lab
I thank my colleague Gillian Mackay for bringing the motion to the Parliament and Back Off Scotland for the work that it does to protect women from harassmen...
Maggie Chapman (North East Scotland) (Green)
Green
I thank my colleague Gillian Mackay for lodging this important motion for debate. I echo her remarks, and those of other people, about the work that Back Off...
Pauline McNeill (Glasgow) (Lab)
Lab
I thank Gillian Mackay for bringing this important debate to the chamber. I also commend her for the tone that she is taking in approaching the debate. It is...
Emma Roddick (Highlands and Islands) (SNP)
SNP
First, I point out that we are not here today to debate whether abortion should be available to people who want or need it; instead, we are debating whether ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
Thank you, Ms Roddick. I call the minister to respond to the debate. Ms Todd, you have around seven minutes. 13:36
The Minister for Public Health, Women’s Health and Sport (Maree Todd)
SNP
Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I thank Gillian Mackay for lodging the motion, and I thank members for their contributions to the debate. As many memb...
Emma Roddick
SNP
Does the minister recognise that, as per the Back Off Scotland briefing that we received, 70 per cent of Scottish women live in a health board area in which ...
Maree Todd
SNP
I recognise that, but members will be aware that our view is that byelaws are the most appropriate way to tackle the issue, when making of a byelaw can be ju...
Meghan Gallacher
Con
In relation to targeted measures and byelaws, does the minister agree that groups could move to other areas if such byelaws were to be introduced for an area...
Maree Todd
SNP
I am aware of that concern, which was raised with me at the meeting in September. The former Minister for Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing, Joe FitzPatric...
Pam Duncan-Glancy
Lab
I am struggling to understand the circumstances in which it would be appropriate not to legislate to have a buffer zone. Could the minister explain that furt...
Maree Todd
SNP
The precedent in the UK is that such measures are introduced on a local basis. We have looked at other countries’ legislation; I have mentioned before that t...