PROTESTS outside abortion clinics in Scotland should be banned under new laws to protect women from intimidation and harassment, a Scottish government committee has decided.

Holyrood’s health, social care and sport committee supported a Bill proposing the creation of “buffer zones” around clinics in which anti-abortion protests would be prohibited.

The proposals are contained in an Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) Bill put forward by Scottish Green MSP Gillian Mackay.

Doctors who work at facilities offering abortion services told the committee that protests outside premises could result in patients delaying or not accessing treatment, while women who had used the services reported anxiety.

The committee unanimously agreed to the general principles of the Bill and said the proposals were “proportionate” to the legislation’s aims of ensuring women could safely access healthcare.

Committee convener Clare Haughey said: “Our committee is united in backing the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) Bill.

“We recognise the strong views it has generated and that not all are in favour of its introduction.

“But ultimately we believe the creation of safe access zones around abortion services is necessary to enforce the principle that everyone should be able to access healthcare free from intimidation or harassment.

“We understand there are competing human rights at play, but we have concluded this Bill strikes an appropriate balance.”

The report went on to state that the Bill’s implementation should be subject to ongoing post-legislative scrutiny to ensure the restrictions remain proportionate.

It will now proceed through the Scottish Parliament to be voted on at stage one.

The committee delayed making a recommendation on the holding of silent vigils and prayers outside clinics by anti-abortionists, with some committee members believing they should be exempted from prohibition and others believing they could be intimidatory.

Police had told the committee that they may find it difficult to determine whether the law was being breached by people undertaking silent prayers.

Ms Haughey said the issue of silent prayers outside clinics should be re-examined if the Bill proceeded to the next stage of Holyrood’s legislative process.