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Prostitution law action pledged | |
(2 days later) | |
New Scottish legislation to crack down on kerb crawling is to be toughened up, ministers have said. | |
The assurance was given after the Scottish Executive's prostitution bill was criticised by a committee of MSPs. | |
If passed, the legislation would for the first time criminalise men who buy sex from prostitutes. | |
MSPs said the bill would be pointless as people in private cars would escape prosecution. Minister George Lyon said the criticism was being taken on board. | |
The report by the Local Government and Transport Committee also suggested that prostitutes' clients should face tougher sentencing than the women due to their economic circumstances. | |
The bill, as it currently stands, would criminalise soliciting and loitering for the purposes of prostitution when it would be likely to cause alarm, nuisance or offence. | The bill, as it currently stands, would criminalise soliciting and loitering for the purposes of prostitution when it would be likely to cause alarm, nuisance or offence. |
However, loitering would not be an offence if the person was in a private car. | However, loitering would not be an offence if the person was in a private car. |
If the bill is not amended, it will fail to address the problems faced by communities affected by prostitution Bristow MuldoonCommittee convenor | |
The committee called on the executive to expand the offence of loitering to include private cars, claiming this was crucial to address to problem of kerb crawling in residential areas. | |
The report also raised concerns that the new law could make it easier to set up "tolerance zones", despite the executive's opposition to the policy. | The report also raised concerns that the new law could make it easier to set up "tolerance zones", despite the executive's opposition to the policy. |
MSPs warned that the way the bill was drafted meant that an offence may not be committed if no alarm, offence or nuisance was created. | MSPs warned that the way the bill was drafted meant that an offence may not be committed if no alarm, offence or nuisance was created. |
The proposed legislation would see the men buying sex and the women who sell it subject to the same maximum £500 fine. | The proposed legislation would see the men buying sex and the women who sell it subject to the same maximum £500 fine. |
However, the committee pointed out that prostitutes and their customers were likely to have very different financial circumstances and called on ministers to consider reviewing the penalties. | However, the committee pointed out that prostitutes and their customers were likely to have very different financial circumstances and called on ministers to consider reviewing the penalties. |
Tougher penalties | Tougher penalties |
Committee convener Bristow Muldoon said: "The committee view is that if the bill is not amended, it will fail to address the problems faced by communities affected by prostitution." | |
George Lyon, the deputy minister for finance and public service reform, gave evidence to MSPs twice as they considered the legislation. | George Lyon, the deputy minister for finance and public service reform, gave evidence to MSPs twice as they considered the legislation. |
Since then, he has said he was considering tougher penalties for those buying sex, as well as the possibility of introducing an offence to criminalise loitering in a private car. | Since then, he has said he was considering tougher penalties for those buying sex, as well as the possibility of introducing an offence to criminalise loitering in a private car. |
Mr Muldoon said: "We recognise and welcome that the executive's position on a number of key issues appears to be shifting. | Mr Muldoon said: "We recognise and welcome that the executive's position on a number of key issues appears to be shifting. |
"The committee is prepared to give ministers the benefit of the considerable doubts which have been expressed to us about the workability of this bill." | "The committee is prepared to give ministers the benefit of the considerable doubts which have been expressed to us about the workability of this bill." |
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