Government reported to Information Commissioner

● Rennie challenge over new mental health support staff for police

The Scottish Government has been reported to the Information Commissioner over its refusal to say how many new mental health support staff the police will be given.

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie has referred the government after the First Minister was unable toexplainwhypolicescotland had received just 7.5 extra staff over two years, despite being promised more.

Mr Rennie raised the issue at last week’s First Minister’s Questions, highlighting how Police Scotland was promised a share of 800 new staff under the 2017 mental health strategy but that statistics now show the national force has received only 7.5 extra mental health workers. According to its strategy, the government pledged to “increase the workforce to give access to dedicated mental health professionals to all A&ES, all GP practices, every police station custody suite, and to our prisons.”

This would see an “additional investment to £35 million for 800 additional mental health workers in those key settings” over five years.

However, the latest quarterly update on the allocation of mental health staff shows the 7.5 given to the police plus 121 staff who have been attributed to “other settings”.

Mr Rennie said his party had repeatedly asked how many extra staff Police Scotland will receive, through parliamentary questions and freedom of information requests.

However, SNP ministers have consistently refused to publish this information.

As a result, the Lib Dems have reported the government to the Scottish Information Commissioner, Daren Fitzhenry, who is responsible for the promotion and enforcement of the Freedom of Information Act.

Mr Rennie said: “The fact we have had to ask the Information Commissioner to provide basic scrutiny of this policy shows it is another skin-deep commitment from the Scottish Government.

“There is no good reason for secrecy. If ministers had a robust plan for giving the police more mental health support they would tell us.

“Instead, we now know that, two-and-a-half years after they were promised help, the police have just 7.5 extra staff. The First Minister couldn’t tell me why. She has taken her eye off the ball and this level of action won’t begin to end the mental health crisis.”

A government spokesperson said the strategy would provide extra investment over the next five years, rising to £35 million in the fifth year for 800 extra mental health workers in key locations, including police custody and accident and emergency departments.

They added: “We are on course to deliver on this commitment, with 327.5 workers having been recruited as of 1 October, 2019.

“This will help to ensure people have better access to mental health support at a time and place where they may need it the most.”

“The First Minister couldn’t tell me why. She has taken her eye off the ball and this level of action won’t begin to end the mental health crisis.”

WILLIE RENNIE

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader