Buffer zones pass vote in historic moment for Scotland

It will see anti-abortion protests within 200m of abortion service providers banned.

The Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) bill was introduced in October 2023, with draft legislation published over two years ago.

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The bill was finally passed on Wednesday with 118 yes votes, 1 no vote, and no abstentions.

Gillian Mackay, the Green MSP who promoted the bill, said: “This is for women and medical professionals who have endured protests amid disgraceful scenes in the past while accessing health care, and for all those who may need to go do so in the future.

“It also carves into history the work and support of others including Back Off Scotland, health organisations and unions including the STUC Women's Committee, BPAS, and so many more, and trailblazing Irish Green Clare Bailey.

“Without their determination, support and courage that day may never have come. The fact that it has is a testament to all of those MSPs who voted for it to pass, the work of Scottish Government officials, and the importance of this parliament. 

“They all deserve our thanks."

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Before it passed, Jeremy Balfour, Tory MSP for Lothian region, re-raised three "wrecking" amendments that would weaken the legislation's power.

He first raised the amendments during the Stage 2 debate, however withdrew them in order to discuss them with the bill's sponsors.

Jeremy Balfour is a Scottish Tory MSP (Image: BBC)

The first of the three, amendment four, would have created an exemption in the law for people offering chaplaincy or pastoral services.

The second, amendment five, would have created a "reasonableness defence" for breaking the law.

However, he declined to move these two to a vote.

Amendment six, the third one Balfour raised, was brought to a vote, but was voted down.

There were 21 yes votes, 89 no votes, and one abstention.

It proposed that the regulations drafted by the government based on the legislation be brought to the Scottish Parliament for scrutiny.

MSPs overwhelmingly agreed to the principles of the bill at the Stage 1 debate in March.

Back Off Scotland co-founder Lucy Grieve said: “It’s wonderful that after four long years of campaigning, the day has finally come and safe access zones have been officially passed into law.

“This has been a hard-fought campaign, and I’d like to pay tribute to Alice Murray and Lily Robertson who both put their head above the parapet in the early days of our campaign to bravely share their own stories of facing anti-abortion activists at the doors of sexual health clinics.

“Whilst safe access zones have been delivered, the work of Back Off Scotland will not stop.

"The next priority for us is to continue our campaign to make sure that abortion services are provided locally so that no woman has to make a 1000-mile round trip to England to access care that one in three of us will need in our lives."

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With the passing of the legislation, every nation in the UK now has buffer zones legislation on the books.

Several amendments were passed to the legislation, including one requiring reviews to the bill to happen once every three years, rather than the every five years previously stated.

Another amendment passed requiring the publication of data pertaining to the enforcement of the regulations resulting from the legislation.

Mackay continued: “Today’s vote means never again should a woman have to be stripped of her dignity, privacy or emotion in opting to have an abortion. It enshrines her right to do so, and to do so without fear or intimidation. 

“A woman’s right to decide what happens to her body is no-one else’s business but her own and that is the message being sent loud and clear across Scotland tonight.”