Prostitution Bill appeal rejected

Jun 19 2012

A plea to fast-track a law making it an offence to pay for sex has been rejected at Holyrood.

Labour MSP Rhoda Grant's proposal will now have to go out to consultation rather than take the quicker route through the Scottish Parliament.

The Purchase of Sex Bill will reduce the demand for prostitution and build on existing legislation, Ms Grant argued.

An earlier attempt to pass legislation means the issues have already been aired, she told MSPs on the Justice Committee.

Members turned down the fast-track approach in a vote taken in private.

In a written submission to the committee, Ms Grant argued: "My proposal will make the purchase of sex illegal in Scotland, with the aim of reducing the demand for prostitution.

"In addition, by strengthening the existing legislative framework against purchasers, Scotland should become an unattractive market for prostitution and therefore other associated serious criminal activities, such as people-trafficking for sexual exploitation, would be disrupted."

It is possible for a consenting adult aged 18 or over to have sex with another consenting adult in return for payment without an offence being committed, the committee was told in her briefing note. Laws already apply to soliciting and loitering, such as kerb crawling.

A previous attempt for a total ban was introduced by former MSP Trish Godman but it was not adopted as part of the Criminal Justice and Licensing Bill.

Ms Grant told the committee the first consultation has influenced the new proposal. "If you have a consultation and you're influenced by the outcome of that consultation, and that then means you have to go to have a further consultation, you would actually never get anything done," she said.