Current status: Answered by Angela Constance on 20 September 2022
To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure impartial scrutiny from the National Drugs Mission Oversight Group, given that it is chaired by the Minister for Drugs Policy and in light of reports that the membership of the group is at the invitation of the Minister.
Following the first Oversight Group meeting in June, David Strang, former chair of the Drug Death Taskforce, has accepted my offer to become Chair of the group, ensuring its independence from government. I will of course continue to attend as a member of the group. This will begin from the next meeting scheduled for 22 September 2022.
To ensure independence from government, a steering board of members has been nominated to co-ordinate the agenda for Oversight Group meetings.