£1.5m cut in addiction funding

MInISTERS have cut spending aimed at tackling drug and alcohol addiction, despite a record number of Scots dying from substance abuse.

new figures show there has been a £1.5million cut in funding for alcohol and drug partnerships (ADPs) in the past year.

Health Secretary Shona Robison disclosed the drop in a letter to Holyrood’s health committee in which she pledged to increase spending.

Opponents last night accused the SnP of putting lives at risk.

It emerged last year that there were 827 drug-related deaths in Scotland – a record number – with the figure almost doubling over the past decade. Drugs death rates north of the Border are now two-and-a-half times those of the rest of the UK.

Spending on partnerships aimed at tackling substance abuse fell to £101,716,000 last year, from £103,211,000 in 2016, latest figures show.

Conservative MSP Adam Tomkins said: ‘ADP funding is vital to help people beat their addictions. The drug problem across Scotland is now worse than ever – that is confirmed by official statistics.

‘And while some progress is being made with alcohol, our relationship with drink remains deep-rooted and complex. So quite why overall funding has been cut to this extent is a mystery.’

The biggest cuts were in Argyll and Bute, where funding fell by 15 per cent, Dumfries and Galloway, which saw a 13.7 per cent drop, and Glasgow, where there was an 11.6 per cent reduction.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘Our 2018-19 Budget increased health investment by more than £400million and committed an additional £20million of investment for alcohol and drug services.

This funding will support new and innovative approaches responding to the needs of patients.’