Chamber
Plenary, 11 May 2000
11 May 2000 · S1 · Plenary
Item of business
Drugs Action Plan
The Executive has sought to stress at every opportunity that we want to follow a balanced strategy that will put proper enforcement measures in place but which also recognises that reducing and preferably destroying demand for drugs is where success is ultimately most likely. I hope that the drugs action plan gives even more urgency to the pursuit of that balanced strategy. The strategy was set out in "Tackling Drugs in Scotland", launched two years ago and endorsed by the Executive soon after the Parliament came into being.
I am not familiar with the diary or travel arrangements of Mr Tauber, so I was not able to construct the opportunity to look at American approaches to tackling drug misuse around his movements.
It might be helpful if I punch up some of the specific points in the drugs action plan, which will make a significant impact in some of the areas that Lyndsay McIntosh mentioned. I have already mentioned the national drug misuse research programme, which will be funded to a value of £2 million over the next three years. The prevention and effectiveness unit will be funded to the value of £300,000, and we will publish the specific progress targets by the autumn of this year.
Beyond that, the document makes explicit the need for consistency of work with young people, through school and community education and through detached youth work for the most vulnerable. It also makes explicit the need and our intention to pursue more non-custodial approaches, learning from the drug court model about the use of rehabilitation, testing and parole. It stresses the importance of linking treatment regimes to rehabilitation, with proper access to education and training. Those are significant steps forward.
In respect of prisons, the document makes clear the Executive's commitment to far greater drug action team involvement in the work on drugs that takes place in Scottish prisons. We also look forward to the forthcoming publication of the revamped Scottish Prison Service drugs strategy, which will consider rehabilitation and treatment in the round. Although I do not want to get too far ahead in trying to predict the contents of that revamped strategy, I think that members will be pleased with what they will read when it is published.
I am not familiar with the diary or travel arrangements of Mr Tauber, so I was not able to construct the opportunity to look at American approaches to tackling drug misuse around his movements.
It might be helpful if I punch up some of the specific points in the drugs action plan, which will make a significant impact in some of the areas that Lyndsay McIntosh mentioned. I have already mentioned the national drug misuse research programme, which will be funded to a value of £2 million over the next three years. The prevention and effectiveness unit will be funded to the value of £300,000, and we will publish the specific progress targets by the autumn of this year.
Beyond that, the document makes explicit the need for consistency of work with young people, through school and community education and through detached youth work for the most vulnerable. It also makes explicit the need and our intention to pursue more non-custodial approaches, learning from the drug court model about the use of rehabilitation, testing and parole. It stresses the importance of linking treatment regimes to rehabilitation, with proper access to education and training. Those are significant steps forward.
In respect of prisons, the document makes clear the Executive's commitment to far greater drug action team involvement in the work on drugs that takes place in Scottish prisons. We also look forward to the forthcoming publication of the revamped Scottish Prison Service drugs strategy, which will consider rehabilitation and treatment in the round. Although I do not want to get too far ahead in trying to predict the contents of that revamped strategy, I think that members will be pleased with what they will read when it is published.
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Sir David Steel):
NPA
The first item of business is a statement by Angus MacKay on the drugs action plan. The minister will take questions at the end of the statement, so there sh...
The Deputy Minister for Justice (Angus MacKay):
Lab
In January, we debated fully Scotland's drug problem and how the Executive, drug action teams, public bodies and communities in Scotland could combine to tac...
Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP):
SNP
On behalf of the Scottish National party, I welcome the minister's statement, particularly the tone of his language and the emphasis that he placed on preven...
Angus MacKay:
Lab
A substantial amount of the £27 million additional expenditure is now being put into use in the field. The £2 million which I announced today—£1 million for ...
Mrs Lyndsay McIntosh (Central Scotland) (Con):
Con
I associate myself with some of Fiona Hyslop's comments and thank the minister for the courtesy of his statement. In the debate in January, we said that we w...
Angus MacKay:
Lab
The Executive has sought to stress at every opportunity that we want to follow a balanced strategy that will put proper enforcement measures in place but whi...
Mr Keith Raffan (Mid Scotland and Fife) (LD):
LD
Like other members, I welcome the direction of the minister's statement, but the proof of a strategy is in its effective implementation. I especially welcome...
Angus MacKay:
Lab
The thrust of my announcement today is to emphasise that we are looking closely at the treatment and rehabilitation side of the equation. We recognise that, ...
Dr Richard Simpson (Ochil) (Lab):
Lab
I join my colleagues in welcoming the minister's statement as yet another step along the way to developing an effective strategy to deal with a problem that ...
Angus MacKay:
Lab
I was taken slightly by surprise by Dr Simpson's final comments. Dr Simpson raised a number of important issues, and I welcome his comments on social inclusi...
Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP):
SNP
I add my voice to the general welcome for the statement. In particular, I welcome the minister's phrase: "Treatment benefits drug misusers and cuts drug-rela...
Angus MacKay:
Lab
I had some interesting experiences when I was present at the drug court, one of which was the judge inviting me to join him at the bar while he was hearing c...
Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con):
Con
Without making a sour point, I am slightly disappointed by the minister's words. Perhaps that is based on the fact that I recognise the minister's commitment...
Ms Margo MacDonald (Lothians) (SNP):
SNP
On a point of order.
The Presiding Officer:
NPA
Yes. I know the point of order; I am listening carefully. You must ask a question, Mr Gallie.
Phil Gallie:
Con
All right. What funding is necessary for the job support scheme that the minister envisages?I go along with Dr Simpson's comments on prisons. When—and in wha...
Angus MacKay:
Lab
I think that I mentioned in my statement, and certainly in reply to an earlier question, that the revamped Scottish Prison Service strategy for tackling drug...
The Presiding Officer:
NPA
We will now have a model question from Margo MacDonald.
Ms MacDonald:
SNP
I will do what other folk have not done: I will ask a question. Will the minister explain exactly what the strategy is for the drugs action plan? As Richard ...
Phil Gallie:
Con
On a point of order.
The Presiding Officer:
NPA
No. Laughter.
Ms MacDonald:
SNP
Can the minister say this week whether he is satisfied that the research and evidence that is produced for him and on which he builds his strategy is suffici...
Angus MacKay:
Lab
I am not sure whether Margo MacDonald was present for the whole debate.
Ms MacDonald:
SNP
I was.
The Presiding Officer:
NPA
Yes, she was.
Angus MacKay:
Lab
In my statement, I made it clear that we will launch the national drug misuse research programme in the summer. That programme is drawn up not by the Executi...
Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab):
Lab
I thank the minister for his statement. I welcome especially his comments on involving and listening to communities. Having visited DATs around Scotland, is ...
Angus MacKay:
Lab
If I were to single out one drug action team that has been more effective than others in involving communities and user groups, it would be the Glasgow drug ...
The Presiding Officer:
NPA
I apologise to members who have not been called. I have allowed considerable latitude because of the importance of the topic, but I must protect this morning...