A new bill in the Scottish parliament to introduce “safe access zones” around abortion centres has Scottish Catholics deeply concerned, and maintains an ongoing trend in the UK for introducing legislation supporting so-called buffer zones that suppress any form of concern for pregnant women and the unborn.

Scottish Catholics are concerned the prohibitions of the bill will extend to prayer services, silent vigils and could even criminalise certain actions in private homes.

Anthony Horan, director of the Catholic Parliamentary Office (CPO), says the proposed law would be the “most extreme of its kind in the world”, reports Crux.