UK Government 'will not intervene' on plans for drug consumption room

The UK Government will not intervene to stop a pilot drug consumption room in Scotland, Alister Jack has said.

The Scottish Secretary said ministers at Holyrood now have "no more excuses" to act after he made the commitment in the House of Commons.

SNP MPs had pressed the Westminster Government to outline its position after Scotland'sLord Advocate paved the way for such a facility to be established.

Dorothy Bain KC made clear that prosecuting the users of such a facility for simple drugs possession charges would "not be in the public interest".

'The UK Government will not intervene'

Mr Jack told Scotland questions in the Commons: "Drug consumption rooms are not the easy solution that honourable members may think. There is no safe way to take illegal drugs.

"Drugs devastate lives, they ruin families, they damage communities, and the UK Government believes that the police and the procurator fiscal service should fully enforce the law.

"However, if the Scottish Government and Lord Advocate decide to proceed with a pilot on DCRs - drug consumption rooms - the UK Government will not intervene."

'Game-changer'

SNP Scotland spokesman Tommy Sheppard described the Lord Advocate's statement as a "game-changer" as it removes "one of the major obstacles" to a pilot facility to help prevent overdoses.

He added to Mr Jack: "Let me give him another chance to get on the right side of history and to actually say that he will support and work with the Scottish Government to see this pilot project through."

Mr Jack replied: "I think I've been quite clear that the UK Government's policy is not to proceed with drug consumption rooms and we believe drugs devastate families and destroy communities.

"But I'm also very clear that the Lord Advocate and the Scottish Government appear to have achieved a workaround that allows them to have a pilot drug consumption room, probably in Glasgow, and the United Kingdom Government will not intervene in that.

"So you now have no more excuses."

'The answer is yes'

Mr Sheppard pressed Mr Jack on his reply as he noted he has "form" in terms of intervening on Scottish Government decisions, a nod to the UK Government's decision to block gender reforms.

The SNP MP said: "He says he won't intervene. Can we therefore be clear then that he will say on behalf of the UK Government that he will not use any administrative or legislative means to frustrate or block this pilot policy by the Scottish Government?"

Mr Jack replied: "The answer is yes."

'Drive forward with urgency'

On Monday, First Minister Humza Yousaf stressed the need to "drive forward with a pilot with urgency" given Scotland's high drug deaths rate.

New figures reported on Tuesday showed suspected drug deaths rose in the first six months of this year.

Statistics published by the Scottish Government showed there were 600 such fatalities over the period January to June - with this total 7% higher than the same time in 2022.

'Too many lives have been lost'

SNP MP Alison Thewliss (Glasgow Central) told the PA news agency: "The confirmation from Alister Jack that the UK Government will not intervene to prevent a pilot overdose prevention site in Glasgow is welcome, if long overdue.

"It is deeply frustrating the UK Government has refused to sanction this evidence-based intervention for many years, while too many lives have been lost.

"I hope that the Secretary of State for Scotland speaks with the backing of the Home Office, and that this will finally allow Glasgow's pilot to go ahead."

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