Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to bring into force legislative provisions in the Public Order Act 2023 relating to safe access zones around abortion clinics.

The Public Order Act 2023 received Royal Assent on 2 May. Implementation of the Public Order Act measures is staggered.

The Government respects the will of Parliament and is working to commence Safe Access Zones as soon as is practicably possible. We have been considering what needs to be done to ensure Safe Access Zones can be implemented as effectively as possible, with law enforcement agencies having a clear and consistent understanding around enforcement, and abortion service providers and protestors being clear as to what is expected under the new law.

The timescales for commencing the new Section 9 offence of interference with access to, or provision of, abortion services will be confirmed in due course.