Changes to safe access zones
Section 9: Cessation of safe access zones
29.A safe access zone can only cease to operate if the protected premises stops providing abortion services and therefore the building or place is no longer a protected premises. The operator of a protected premises that intends to stop providing abortion services must notify the Scottish Ministers of the day on which abortion services will stop being provided. The Scottish Ministers must, as soon as practicable after abortion services stop being provided at the premises, update the list maintained under section 2(3)(b) to remove the reference to the affected premises and its related former safe access zone.
30.Failure to notify the Scottish Ministers does not prohibit the Scottish Ministers from updating the list maintained under section 2(3)(b). The status of protected premises would automatically fall away and as a result the safe access zone would cease to attach to the building or place. The duty in section 2(3)(b) to maintain the list would enable the Scottish Ministers to update the list to reflect this.
