Kerb-crawling will be made illegal
23 Jun 06
New fast-track bill tackles clients as well as prostitutes
The Scottish Executive has announced new laws aimed at tackling prostitution.
Ministers are planning to criminalise nuisance or offensive behaviour caused by prostitutes or their clients, replacing the offence of soliciting.
The proposals were set out by Margaret Curran, the minister for parliamentary business yesterday while outlining the Executive's legislative programme up until the next Holyrood elections in May. She said she wanted to see a short bill brought forward before then.
The proposed legislation comes following research carried out by a working group set up in 2003 by the Executive, after MSPs rejected legislation for formal prostitution tolerance zones. The proposals were to be included in the Sentencing Bill, but ministers were concerned that such a lengthy and complex bill would not get through the parliament before May.
Currently, soliciting in a public place for the purpose of prostitution is an offence under the 1982 Civic Government (Scotland) Act. Kerb crawling is not a specific offence, but men can be charged with a breach of the peace.
Another Executive priority is the Protection of Vulnerable Groups Bill, that takes in recommendations from the Bichard Inquiry which followed the murders of Soham schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman.
The legislation proposes tough new vetting procedures for those working with children and includes the creation of a central barring unit which will look at the suitability of people seeking to work with young people. It will cover paid and unpaid work.