Views sought on prostitution law changes

A COMMITTEE of MSPs is to take evidence from interested groups before it debates a controversial bid to outlaw all aspects of prostitution.

Labour MSP Trish Godman is using a series of amendments to the Criminal Justice and Licensing Bill in an attempt to make it a criminal offence to engage in, advertise or facilitate paid-for sexual activity.

The main content of the Bill does not touch on prostitution, so none of the issues raised by Ms Godman's proposals were covered in the original consultation.

Now the justice committee is inviting evidence on Ms Godman's amendments and rival proposals tabled by independent Lothians MSP Margo MacDonald, which would make the buying and selling of sex an offence only where it caused alarm or nuisance to another person.