Abortion Law Review Expert Group Minutes: May 2025

Attendees and apologies

• Professor Anna Glasier – Chair
• Sarah Wallage – Scottish Abortion Care Providers (NHS Grampian)
• Sinead Cook – Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Health
• Professor Sally Sheldon – University of Bristol
• Dr Lynsey Mitchell – University of Strathclyde
• Professor Anne-Maree Farrell – University of Edinburgh
• Rachael Clarke – British Pregnancy Advisory Service
• Dr Alastair Campbell – Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
• Professor Sharon Cameron – Scottish Abortion Care Providers (NHS Lothian)
• Dr Carrie Purcell – The Open University
• Jill Wood – Engender – Representing Advisory Group of reproductive rights groups
• Professor Marion Bain – Deputy Chief Medical Officer
• Andrew Lothian – Law Society of Scotland, Health and Medical Law Sub-Committee

Apologies

• Sam Baker – Scottish Government

Secretariat

• Harriet Rogerson – Scottish Government
• Sean Reid – Scottish Government
• David McIlhinney – Scottish Government, Note of meeting

Items and actions

Welcome

• The Chair welcomed the attendees to the meeting.
• Sam Baker’s apology was noted

Agreement of minutes from meeting 8

• The minute was agreed with no amendments

Recap of previous meetings

• The Chair provided a short recap of the discussions in previous meetings
• The Chair noted the secretariat was keen to recapture the views of the group on each issue. The Chair asked the expert group to consider a few sentences on why each decision had been made.

Alignment of recommendations and options for final report

• The expert group discussed their recommendations at length and in great detail.
• The expert group agreed a number of recommendations for the final report
• The expert group discussed areas where several options would be available for consideration.
• The expert group considered all of the topics previously discussed, including grounds for abortion, abortion care pathways, coercion and possible criminal offences that may be retained in law.
• In discussion of each topic, the expert group considered stakeholder viewpoints and the evidence that had been collected / submitted to the secretariat.

AOB

 

• The next meeting will be on the 18 June 2025.