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<p>The Home Office carried out an assessment to understand the scale and nature of
protests outside abortion clinics to establish whether more should be done to protect
those requiring an abortion. The previous Home Secretary set out his position on 13
September 2018 through a Written Ministerial Statement. A link to the statement can
be found here: <a href="https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2018-09-13/HCWS958"
target="_blank">https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2018-09-13/HCWS958</a>.</p><p>The
Government recognises the adverse impact that anti-abortion protests can have on patients
and staff and the Home Office is keeping this important matter under review. My officials
regularly liaise with national policing leads to assess if there have been any developments
on protest activities outside abortion clinics. The Home Office would welcome any
new evidence that becomes available.</p><p>I understand that the implementation of
a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) in the vicinity of the Marie Stopes West London
Centre in Ealing has proved successful in preventing protests and vigils taking place
that were deemed to be having a detrimental effect on the quality of life of those
in the locality. In March 2019, a second PSPO was introduced around the British Pregnancy
Advisory Service clinic in Twickenham.</p>
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