Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Act 2021
Act of the Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliament
Long titleAn Act of the Scottish Parliament to secure the provision throughout Scotland of free period products.
Citation2021 asp. 1
Dates
Royal assent12 January 2021
Status: Current legislation
Text of statute as originally enacted
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 Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Act 2021 was enacted in November 2020 by the Scottish Government, and 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.[1][2][3]

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.[2]

History

The campaign for free period products had been led by Scotland. In 2017 the country's 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". Similar schemes for schools have been promised for Ireland in 2020. 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.[4]

The legislation came into force on 15 August 2022, making Scotland the first country to make such a provision.[5]

References

  1. ^ "Scotland becomes first country to make tampons and pads available for free". CNN. 25 November 2020. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  2. ^ a b Libby Brooks (24 November 2020). "Scotland becomes first nation to provide free period products for all". Guardian. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  3. ^ "Period poverty: Scotland first in world to make period products free". BBC News. 24 November 2020. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  4. ^ "Tampon law makes Scotland first nation to provide free period products for all". The Irish Times. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
  5. ^ "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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