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Written Question
Abortion: Demonstrations
Monday 19th February 2024

Asked by: Fiona Bruce (Conservative - Congleton)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to ensure that non-statutory guidance on abortion clinic safe access zones around abortion clinics issued by his Department supports the human rights of people with pro-life views.

Answered by Chris Philp - Shadow Home Secretary

The Government respects people’s fundamental rights provided under Article 9 (freedom of thought, religion and belief), Article 10 (freedom of expression) and Article 11 (freedom of association and assembly) of the European Convention on Human Rights. The enforcement of abortion safe access zones must be compliant with the ECHR.

The Government has recently consulted publicly on the guidance. We are currently analysing all responses to the consultation, which closed on 22 January, and we will publish the final guidance in due course.

Written Question
Public Order Bill: Equality
Monday 24th October 2022

Asked by: Fiona Bruce (Conservative - Congleton)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will (a) make and (b) publish an assessment of the potential impact on equality of New Clause 11 of the Public Order Bill; and if he will make a statement.

Answered by Jeremy Quin

New Clause 11 was added to the Public Order Bill by a majority in the House of Commons. The Home Office is obliged to consider the equalities impacts of all new policies.

Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 18 Oct 2022
Public Order Bill

"I rise to oppose new clause 11 on the basis of its grave implications—indeed, threats—to freedom of thought, conscience, speech, belief and assembly. Let us be clear: new clause 11 flies directly in the face of those freedoms. It has far wider implications than on abortion alone; it potentially criminalises …..."
Fiona Bruce - View Speech

View all Fiona Bruce (Con - Congleton) contributions to the debate on: Public Order Bill
Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 18 Oct 2022
Public Order Bill

"I have spoken against that principle on a number of occasions in this place and I will come on to explain why.

The wording of new clause 11 could even catch those who are quietly praying, but when did it become against the law in this country to pray? Unfortunately, …..."
Fiona Bruce - View Speech

View all Fiona Bruce (Con - Congleton) contributions to the debate on: Public Order Bill
Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 18 Oct 2022
Public Order Bill

"I am just about to conclude.

One of the main reasons freedom of speech and thought are treasured and rightly protected in law is so that they can be used precisely for the purposes of influence. The free and frank exchange of viewpoints is the lifeblood of a genuinely democratic …..."
Fiona Bruce - View Speech

View all Fiona Bruce (Con - Congleton) contributions to the debate on: Public Order Bill
Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 18 Oct 2022
Public Order Bill

"Because some of our colleagues will not have been able to follow the whole debate, will the Minister confirm what I believe he is saying, which is that he personally will vote against new clause 11 this afternoon?..."
Fiona Bruce - View Speech

View all Fiona Bruce (Con - Congleton) contributions to the debate on: Public Order Bill
Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 22 Mar 2022
Nationality and Borders Bill

"I wish to speak briefly in support of the proposal made by my right hon. Friend the Member for Chingford and Woodford Green (Sir Iain Duncan Smith) in lieu of Lords amendment 26, to which he referred in his impassioned speech. Disappointingly, it cannot be voted on today. If we …..."
Fiona Bruce - View Speech

View all Fiona Bruce (Con - Congleton) contributions to the debate on: Nationality and Borders Bill
Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 05 Jul 2021
Police, Crime, Sentencing and Court Bill

"I speak to oppose new clauses 55 and 42, which I urge colleagues to vote against. New clause 55 is truly shocking on many counts. It would legalise abortions in this country right up to the moment of the birth of a child. No reason would need to be given. …..."
Fiona Bruce - View Speech

View all Fiona Bruce (Con - Congleton) contributions to the debate on: Police, Crime, Sentencing and Court Bill
Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 15 Mar 2021
Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill

"Freedom of assembly and of expression are fundamental rights that are hard-fought and hard-won but easily lost or damaged if we legislate in haste. I want to focus on clauses 54 to 56 and 59 to 60, which would make significant changes to police powers to respond to protest. They …..."
Fiona Bruce - View Speech

View all Fiona Bruce (Con - Congleton) contributions to the debate on: Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill
Written Question
Employment: Sexual Harassment
Tuesday 15th December 2020

Asked by: Fiona Bruce (Conservative - Congleton)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of extending to six months the three month limit for tribunal applications for employees claiming to be the subject of sexual harassment.

Answered by Kemi Badenoch - Leader of HM Official Opposition

The Government consultation on Sexual Harassment in the Workplace asked whether the time limit for taking a harassment, discrimination or victimisation claim to an Employment Tribunal should be extended, including in cases of sexual harassment.

We are considering the responses we received and will publish our response to this consultation in due course.