SNP rejection of Period Poverty Bill unacceptable
Scottish Green MSP Andy Wightman has criticised SNP MSPs who rejected proposals to provide a statutory right to free sanitary products to women.
SNP MSPs on the Local Government and Communities Committee refused to back Monica Lennon’s Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Bill, despite claiming to support its aims.
Commenting, Scottish Green communities spokesperson Andy Wightman, who sits on the committee, said:
“I am shocked at the attitudes of SNP MSPs, who appear to be more interested in party tribalism than engaging in a serious debate about rights to period products. The Scottish Government has done some good work to improve period dignity but it’s clear that it is only legislation that can confer and guarantee such rights to people in need.
“The right to free products should be universal. Period products are as essential as toilet paper and soap. It was bizarre to see the party of free prescriptions and baby boxes to suddenly argue against universalism.
“If members had concerns, then those could have been worked out in amendments. The Parliamentary process is there to provide the clarity they claim to seek. Instead, it appears this bill will be rejected before it could even be properly debated. That is very disappointing indeed.”