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The Scottish Parliament has voted against a bill that aimed to make paying for sex a criminal offence. Although activities such as soliciting in public, “kerb crawling,” and brothel-keeping are already illegal, the act of purchasing sexual services and organizing such encounters online remains lawful in Scotland. The proposed legislation, introduced by Ash Regan, was defeated by 64 votes to 54 without any abstentions, failing at the initial stage where MSPs consider the general principles of the bill.
The government opposed the bill, which triggered dissent among a small group of SNP MSPs who broke ranks. While ministers expressed support for the bill’s core intention, they argued that the proposals had significant flaws and that there was insufficient time to resolve these issues before the upcoming May election. Regan criticized the decision, stating, “Today, Parliament chose cowardice over action – despite overwhelming evidence, survivor testimony, and support from police, prosecutors and international experts.” She added, “Inaction is not neutral. It is a decision, and it has consequences.”
Regan’s bill sought to criminalize those who pay for sexual services by introducing a new offence specifically targeting buyers, while repealing existing solicitation laws and clearing historic convictions related to those offences. The bill would have also provided sex workers with rights to support and assistance. In her speech to MSPs, Regan described the legislation as recognizing prostitution as “a system of exploitation and violence sustained by demand.” She emphasized that the bill’s approach was to decriminalize those who sell sex, acknowledging their vulnerability, and to place legal accountability on those who purchase or profit from the sale of sexual access.
Victims minister Siobhian Brown expressed regret that the government could not endorse the bill, citing the limited time frame to address substantial concerns, particularly regarding enforcement challenges and potential risks to sex workers’ safety. She highlighted worries about monitoring online activities and the possibility of increased violence due to reduced ability for sex workers to assess buyers’ risks. Brown stated, “I do not think that in six short weeks the bill can be amended sufficiently to allay those concerns and the other flaws in the bill,” but reaffirmed a commitment to revisit the issue if the SNP stays in power after the election. The bill received backing from the Conservatives and Labour, while the Greens and Liberal Democrats opposed it, reflecting a deeply divided Parliament on this contentious subject
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