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Stella Creasy's amendment

Public Order Act 2023

Report stage

Amendment number: NC11

Lead member

Stella Creasy
Labour, Walthamstow
Commons

Decision

Agreed on division
This amendment was agreed to following a vote.

Amendment text

To move the following Clause—
“Offence of interference with access to or provision of abortion services
(1) A person who is within a buffer zone and who interferes with any person’s decision to access, provide, or facilitate the provision of abortion services in that buffer zone is guilty of an offence.
(2) A “buffer zone” means an area which is within a boundary which is 150 metres from any part of an abortion clinic or any access point to any building or site that contains an abortion clinic and is—
(a) on or adjacent to a public highway or public right of way,
(b) in an open space to which the public has access,
(c) within the curtilage of an abortion clinic, or
(d) in any location that is visible from a public highway, public right of way, open space to which the public have access, or the curtilage of an abortion clinic.
(3) For the purposes of subsection (1), “interferes with” means—
(a) seeks to influence,
(b) persistently, continuously or repeatedly occupies,
(c) impedes or threatens,
(d) intimidates or harasses,
(e) advises or persuades, attempts to advise or persuade, or otherwise expresses opinion,
(f) informs or attempts to inform about abortion services by any means, including, without limitation, graphic, physical, verbal or written means, or
(g) sketches, photographs, records, stores, broadcasts, or transmits images, audio, likenesses or personal data of any person without express consent.
(4) A person guilty of an offence under subsection (1) is liable—
(a) in the first instance—
(i) on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months,
(ii) to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale, or
(iii) to both; and
(b) on further instances—
(i) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years, or to a fine, or to both, or
(ii) on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months, or to a fine, or to both.
(5) Nothing in this section applies to—
(a) anything done in the course of providing, or facilitating the provision of, abortion services in an abortion clinic,
(b) anything done in the course of providing medical care within a GP practice, hospital or other healthcare facility,
(c) the operation of a camera if its coverage of persons accessing or attempting to access an abortion clinic is incidental and the camera or footage is not used for any of the purposes listed in subsection (3), and
(d) a police officer acting properly in the course of their duties.”

Member's explanatory statement

This new clause would introduce areas around abortion clinics and hospitals (buffer zones) where interference with, and intimidation or harassment of, women accessing or people providing abortion services would be an offence.

Sponsors

Dr Rupa Huq
Independent
Ealing Central and Acton
Caroline Lucas
Green Party
Brighton, Pavilion
Sir Bernard Jenkin
Conservative
Harwich and North Essex
Dr Dan Poulter
Conservative
Central Suffolk and North Ipswich
Christine Jardine
Liberal Democrat
Edinburgh West
Dame Diana Johnson
Labour
Kingston upon Hull North
Stephen Farry
Alliance
North Down
Caroline Nokes
Conservative
Romsey and Southampton North
Sarah Champion
Labour
Rotherham
Huw Merriman
Conservative
Bexhill and Battle
Daisy Cooper
Liberal Democrat
St Albans
Alex Davies-Jones
Labour
Pontypridd
Barbara Keeley
Labour
Worsley and Eccles South
Ruth Cadbury
Labour
Brentford and Isleworth
Apsana Begum
Labour
Poplar and Limehouse
Liz Saville Roberts
Plaid Cymru
Dwyfor Meirionnydd
Hywel Williams
Plaid Cymru
Arfon
Ben Lake
Plaid Cymru
Ceredigion
Bell Ribeiro-Addy
Labour
Streatham