Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 24 April 2023 to Question 179976 on Demonstrations, what steps her Department is taking to ensure any public order guidance related to buffer zones is compatible with existing rights to freedom of (a) speech, (b) religion and (c) assembly.

Ahead of the commencement of section 9 of the Public Order Act 2023, the College of Policing and the Crown Prosecution Service are updating relevant public order guidance and training to reflect the inclusion of the offence of interference with access to or provision of abortion services.

In accordance with human rights obligations, these organisations are required to consider the 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, recognising that they are qualified and can sometimes be infringed upon to uphold other rights.