Information regarding the Advisory Group during the Abortion Law Review process: FOI release

Information requested

1. The names of all organisations represented on the Advisory Group during the Abortion Law Review process.

2. The names and roles of individuals appointed to represent each organisation.

3. The criteria used to select organisations and individuals for membership of the Advisory Group.

4. Any guidance, terms of reference, or remit documents governing the Advisory Group.

5. Records indicating whether dissenting views within the Advisory Group were expressed or recorded, including any minority or alternative positions.

6. Any assessment undertaken by the Scottish Government to ensure balance of perspectives, including consideration of faith-based, disability-focused, safeguarding, or pro-life women’s organisations.

7. Dates on which the Advisory Group met, and details of how its views were formally communicated to the Expert Group.

Response

1. The names of all organisations represented on the Advisory Group during the Abortion Law Review process.

Membership of the Advisory Group included representatives from:

• Abortion Rights Scotland
• Back Off Scotland
• Close the Gap
• Engender
• Equality Network
• Humanist Society
• Scottish Trades Union Congress
• Scottish Women’s Aid
• Scottish Women’s Budget Group
• Young Women’s Movement
• Zero Tolerance

The advisory group fed into the expert group review through Engender's membership of the expert group. The expert group also received submissions from a wide range of groups, including the Catholic Bishop's Conference of Scotland, which expressed a wide range of opinions beyond the positions adopted in the advisory group.

2. The names and roles of individuals appointed to represent each organisation.

An exemption under section 38(1)b of FOISA applies to this information. This exemption covers personal data relating to a third party.

3. The criteria used to select organisations and individuals for membership of the Advisory Group.

The Scottish Government received an open letter from a number of organizations calling for the establishment of an expert working group in July 2023. We invited the signatories of this letter to form an advisory group to the Expert Group reviewing the law on abortion in May 2024. The advisory group was a stakeholder network which the Scottish Government did not chair, and therefore the group were able to invite further organisations to join meetings at their own discretion.

4. Any guidance, terms of reference, or remit documents governing the Advisory Group.

The Scottish Government does not have the information you have asked for because the Chair of the advisory group, rather than the Scottish Government, would have been responsible for setting any terms of reference.

This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested.

5. Records indicating whether dissenting views within the Advisory Group were expressed or recorded, including any minority or alternative positions.

A number of organisations on the advisory group provided views in response to our calls for written submissions on each topic to be considered by the expert group, independently of the advisory group.

This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested.

6. Any assessment undertaken by the Scottish Government to ensure balance of perspectives, including consideration of faith-based, disability-focused, safeguarding, or pro-life women’s organisations.

The Scottish Government does not have the information you have asked for because the Chair of the advisory group, rather than the Scottish Government, would have been responsible for suggesting any additional members..

This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested.

7. Dates on which the Advisory Group met, and details of how its views were formally communicated to the Expert Group.

The advisory group met on the following dates:

20 June 2024
12 September 2024
3 March 2025

Views from the advisory group were provided to the expert group through Engender’s membership of the expert group. Additionally a number of organisations represented on the advisory group provided views in response to our calls for written submissions on each topic to be considered by the expert group.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at https://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.