Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Act 2021
The Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Act 2021 was a Private member's bill in the Scottish Parliament which received Royal assent on 12 January 2021. It is the world's first legislation to make it mandatory for all public institutions to provide free sanitary products for menstruation including tampons and pads.[3][4][5]
| Act of the Scottish Parliament | |
 | |
| Long title | An Act of the Scottish Parliament to secure the provision throughout Scotland of free period products. |
|---|---|
| Citation | 2021 asp. 1 |
| Introduced by | Monica Lennon |
| Territorial extent | Scotland |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 12 January 2021 |
| Commencement | 18 March 2021,[1] 15 August 2022[2] |
Status: Current legislation | |
| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
| Revised text of statute as amended | |
| Text of the Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Act 2021 as in force today (including any amendments) within the United Kingdom, from legislation.gov.uk. | |
The act followed a campaign coordinated by Monica Lennon, MSP, the spokesperson on health for the Scottish Labour party, and obtained all-party support in the Scottish Parliament. The provision will cost an estimated £8.7 million annually.[4]
History
editIn 2017 the Scottish First Minister had announced that period products would be free in Scotland's schools. It has been noted that other public toilets have followed the lead offering free products or free with an "honesty box". The Scottish government had originally proposed that free products should be available on a means tested basis but changed its proposals in February given the wide support in the Scottish parliament.[6]
Similar schemes for schools have been promised for Ireland in 2020.
The legislation came into force on 15 August 2022, making Scotland the first country to make such a provision.[7]
In 2022, the Northern Ireland Assembly passed the similar Period Products (Free Provision) Act (Northern Ireland) 2022.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Scottish Parliament. The Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Act 2021 (Commencement No. 1) Regulations 2021 as made, from legislation.gov.uk.
- ^ Scottish Parliament. The Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Act 2021 (Commencement No. 2) Regulations 2022 as made, from legislation.gov.uk.
- ^ "Scotland becomes first country to make tampons and pads available for free". CNN. 25 November 2020. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
- ^ a b Libby Brooks (24 November 2020). "Scotland becomes first nation to provide free period products for all". Guardian. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
- ^ "Period poverty: Scotland first in world to make period products free". BBC News. 24 November 2020. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
- ^ "Tampon law makes Scotland first nation to provide free period products for all". The Irish Times. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
- ^ "Right to free period products becomes law in Scotland". 15 August 2022. Retrieved 15 August 2022 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
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