Buffer zones law risks undemocratic outcomes

Scottish ‘buffer zones’ could have a disproportionate impact on civil liberties, CARE for Scotland has said.

The Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) Act comes into force today after being backed by MSPs in June. It is designed to prevent pro-life activities in a 200m ‘buffer zone’ around clinics and hospitals that provide abortions.

The Act makes it an offence to seek to “influence someone’s decision to access, provide or facilitate the provision of abortion services”. Scotland’s minister for public health and women’s health Jenni Minto has said people who break the law face "significant" fines - up to £10,000 on summary conviction.

A spokeswoman for CARE for Scotland commented:

“This law risks a disproportionate impact on civil liberties. Police officers were already empowered to deal with problematic behaviour near medical settings under a suite of existing, well-balanced laws. The harassment pro-abortion campaigners alleged to be taking place was not borne out by evidence, including freedom of information data from Police Scotland.

“The buffer zones law opens the door to peaceful, pro-life Scots being criminalised for praying silently in public; Scots who live next to a buffer zone being arrested for displaying a pro-life slogan in the window of their private dwelling; and Christian ministers being prosecuted for displaying a Bible verse on a church building that borders a buffer zone. People are rightly questioning whether such outcomes are conducive to a free society.

“Pursuing this legislation has diverted political attention away from other serious issues relating to abortion in Scotland: discrimination against preborn babies with disabilities; the law being out-of-step with improvements in foetal viability; record numbers of abortions; and abortions driven by inequality including poverty. It is troubling that these very serious issues remain unaddressed, and we’d urge parliamentarians to consider them in the years ahead.”

ENDS

Notes for editors:

CARE for Scotland provides analysis of social policy from a Christian perspective. For more information, or to request an interview, contact: press@care.org.uk