Ealing MP Welcomes Review of Abortion Clinic Protests
Government to assess what action can be taken to protect women
The Home Secretary's announced a review into the safety of women around abortion clinics following a long running campaign in Ealing.
The announcement comes in the wake the near unanimous vote by Ealing Council on the 10th of October to look into the introduction of a Public Spaces Protection Order around the Mary Stopes Clinic on Mattock Lane.
Ealing Central and Acton MP Rupa Huq, along with local action group Sister Supporter has been highlighting issues of harrassment and intimidation faced by women seeking advice at the clinic.
The government enquiry will examine evidence gathered from the police, local authorities and healthcare providers. The Policing Minister Nick Hurd has written to the National Policing Lead for Protest, Deputy Chief Constable Rachel Swann to begin this work before considering what further action the government can take to protect those using or working in abortion clinics. This could include bolstering existing or creating new police and civil powers.
Ealing Central and Acton MP Rupa Huq, along with local action group Sister Supporter has been highlighting issues of harrassment and intimidation faced by women seeking advice at the clinic. She has questioned Home Secretary Amber Rudd in Parliament, forced a debate in Parliament on public order legislations outside of Family Planning Clinics and has written to the Home Secretary to ask for the introduction of legislation for buffer zones. The letter spearheaded by Rupa was co-signed by another 112 MPs from across five Parliamentary Parties, with signatories from 4 party leaders including the Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn MP and is thought to have been particularly influential in forcing this action from the Government.
Following a telephone call from the Home Secretary Rupa Huq MP said:
“I have been speaking out on this issue in Parliament for some time now, so I am pleased that the Home Secretary is undertaking a comprehensive review into the daily intimidation that women face when trying to access NHS provided healthcare.
''Whilst I welcome this review, the demands of the original campaign remain. A radial zone to exclude protests within 150 metres and no less must be drawn. This would include silent praying, singing hymns, displaying foetus images and leaflet distribution. The complete anonymity of women seeking terminations should be protected as one would expect with any other NHS procedure. The situation in my own constituency and conversations I’ve had with colleagues of all parties – including Amber Rudd whose own Hastings seat has one such clinic – made me come to the conclusion that it is high time this was addressed. I welcome the review then with cautious optimism and hope that it reports in timely fashion rather than pushing this important issue into the long grass.
“The Home Secretary called on Saturday evening to inform me of her plan to move forward with an in-depth assessment. It is great that Home Secretary has taken this forward nationally from a campaign which began locally in Ealing and is a huge credit to groups such as Sister Supporter and BPAS who have worked hard with me to get to this point”.
28th November 2016