Revised proposals to create safety zones around abortion centres will be brought back to the House of Keys later this month.

Ralph Peake (Douglas North) had sought to introduce a new clause to the Abortion Reform Bill on Tuesday but, after hearing concerns about some of wording, he agreed to withdraw it and come back with re-worded proposals.

Many MHKs voiced their support for the principle of introducing the clause into Dr Alex Allinson’s Abortion Reform Bill but had reservations about potential unintended consequences without some revision.

Mr Peake’s proposed new clause aimed to create ’access zones’ for hospitals and other premises where abortion services could be provided and also create similar zones around the homes of medical practitioners providing the served or the surgeries they work at.

These zones would have restrictions that would prevent anti-abortion protests or ’engagement in pavement interference’. It would also ban people from repeatedly or continuously observing or lingering in the area or harassing anyone, taking photographs of people or filming them.

It proposed a maximum penalty of 12 months’ custody.

After legislative drafter Howard Connell suggested a number of concerns raised could be addressed by changes to the wording, Mr Peake decided to go back to the drawing board and will bring forward a new version, possibly for the March 27 sitting of the Keys.

Earlier, Mr Peake pointed out that when the bill went out to consultation, 85% or people agreed on the need for some kind of buffer zone.

He added: ’Since then we have all seen graphic images used by protestors and received those images into our homes. I, like many of you, have received communication from constituents who find this type of behaviour unacceptable.

’I believe now is the time for legislation for safe access zones for abortion services.’

The police had found it difficult to move on the protests under current legislation, even when Abort67 targeted Noble’s Hospital, said Mr Peake, adding he had consulted Chief Constable Gary Roberts.

’He would welcome the introduction of measures to protect the rights to protest, but which also properly define and protect the rights of those against whom the protests are directed,’ Mr Peake added.

’This amendment offers safe access to health care when a decision to attend has been made.’

Chris Robertshaw (Douglas East) questioned whether the clause would find itself in breach of the European Convention on Human Rights over freedom of speech, but legislative drafter Howard Connell said he was confident that would not be a problem because that right had to be balanced against other rights under the convention, including the rights of the pregnant woman.

Tim Baker (Ayre and Michael) expressed concern about the implications of some provisions and that it could, in theory, impinge upon church groups that met in public buildings within any allocated zones. A church building itself would be classed as private and therefore exempt from the rules.

He sought assurances that straight-forward conversations between private individuals who happened to be in an access zone would not be illegal under the provision. He was told that unless the conversation was aimed at trying to dissuade a patient from having an abortion, it would not be covered by the proposed rules.

One week after citing mass murderer Harold Shipman as a reason why two doctors should be required to sign off an abortion, Mr Baker this week opted for a slightly less controversial example to illustrate his concerns at Mr Peake’s clause, comparing it with the Big Brother regime of George Orwell’s 1984.