Chamber and committees

The legal framework relating to the misuse of drugs, including the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, is reserved to the UK Government. However, some areas of policy including health, education, housing and social care are the responsibility of the devolved administrations.

All UK drug strategies identify treatment as being effective in tackling problem drug use, and seek to improve its quality and effectiveness. Co-ordination and integration across a range of service providers is seen as key in helping people with problem drug use integrate into society. Treatment services are commissioned by local authority public health teams in England and by Alcohol and Drug Partnerships in Scotland.

Clearly the drug problem in England is different from that in Scotland, for instance the prevalence of opioid use is much higher in Scotland. However, there are examples of good practice that we need to look at from England and across the world, such as around drug testing and ways of diverting individuals out of the criminal justice system where appropriate. One of the tasks of the Drug Deaths Taskforce, that I have convened, will be to collate and publish good practice about what has worked in other parts of the UK, and internationally, to prevent death and harm arising from drug use.

The Carers Parliament is delivered by Carers Scotland as an annual event allowing carers from across Scotland to raise the issues that impact most on their lives with Ministers and other decision-makers.

The Carers Parliament’s format and content has evolved since the first event in 2012, based on feedback from carers and organisations that represent carers. It includes invited speakers (including carers) and opportunities for carers to discuss policy developments and share their experiences of caring. In recent years a number of delegate places have been provided for carer representatives from each of the Integration Joint Boards.

Any changes to the format and context will be driven by Carers and Carers organisations.

Carers Scotland recently hosted a workshop for carers and other third sector organisations to input to the development of the Carers Parliament 2019. The 2019 event will include an opportunity for delegates to consider the format for future years. Carers Scotland will also ensure wider engagement on this topic with carers who are not able to attend on the day.

Scotland is well endowed with walking routes, including Scotland’s Great Trails, core paths plans that have been drawn up by all of Scotland's local authorities and the two National Parks, and a wide range of other path networks, which together extend to an estimated total of 84,000 kilometres.

Led by Scottish Natural Heritage, Sustrans and Scottish Canals under National Planning Framework 3, the National Walking and Cycling Network will grow Scotland’s network of paths, trails and canal towpaths by an additional 1,600 kilometres by 2035. This project supports key connections for multi-use paths.

Several multi-use routes are currently under development, including: the Cross-Scotland Pilgrim Way; the South West Scotland Coastal Path; and the Speyside Way extension. Recently, the Fife Pilgrim Way from Culross and North Queensferry to St Andrews was launched. There are also improvements to routes such as the John Muir Way that passes through the central belt.

In addition, current Sustrans Community Links ‘PLUS’ projects include: Meadows to George Street (Edinburgh); West Edinburgh Link; Connecting Woodside (Glasgow); South City Way (Glasgow); Walk, Cycle, Live Stirling; and Inverness City Active Travel Network. The Scottish Government is providing £51 million for the new Sustrans ‘Places for Everyone’ Programme in 2019-20. Additionally, £3.5 million is provided to Sustrans for the National Cycle Network.

Local government funding totalling £11.2 billion in 2019-20 is allocated by means of a block grant. It is the responsibility of each local authority to allocate the total financial resources available to it on the basis of local needs and priorities. £8.9 million is to be spent on cycling, walking and safer streets projects across Scotland.

Scottish Natural Heritage recently marked the success of the Improving Public Access fund under the Scottish Rural Development Programme, with 136 paths in Scotland benefitting from a share of £8.5 million European Union-supported funding since 2015. The Scottish Government continues to seek clarity from the UK Government over future funding guarantees in the event that the UK exits the European Union.

A number of other funding sources that are typically suggested for paths include: National Lottery Heritage Fund; Sustrans Places for Everyone / National Cycle Network fund; LEADER; Scottish Natural Heritage; Paths for All; charitable trusts; and Scottish Landfill Communities Fund.

Innovative means of raising additional sums have comprised: crowd-funding and “friends” donation initiatives; advertising and commercial sponsorship; charges for services such as toilets, parking or accommodation; and merchandise.

Between April 2014 and March 2019, a total of 439 mesh removals were carried out in Scotland. Information prior to April 2017 does not allow for differentiation between full and partial removals. However, in the period April 2017 to March 2019, removals were as follows:

On an individual patient basis, the Scottish Government expects Health Boards to consider the need for support of this kind within the context of a multidisciplinary team. In addition, as set out in response to Parliamentary Question S5W-23623 the Short Life Working Group - established in March to improve the care provided to women who experience complications after mesh surgery - is considering the physical and psychological needs of women who experience complications following vaginal mesh surgery.

There are existing business and cultural links with Colombia, as highlighted in PQ S5W-24133 on 30 July 2019. The Scottish Government does not currently have further plans to build relations with Colombia, however, the Scottish Government, through our Humanitarian Emergency Fund, did provide financial assistance to Colombia for the Venezuelan refugee crisis in March 2019.

All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

Scottish exports to Colombia were estimated as less than £50 million in 2017. There is currently no recorded Foreign Direct Investment or Capital Investment activity.

In March 2017, Aberdeen and the city of Barranquilla signed a MoU following multiple inward delegations to Scotland from Barranquilla. Since the signing of the MoU, Aberdeen has assisted Barranquilla with their successful application to join World Energy Cities Partnership and assisted with relationship building between Aberdeen and Barranquilla’s business community.

As part of the Momentum international delegates programme, led by Festivals Edinburgh, and partly funded by Scottish Government, a Colombian delegation will visit this August to experience the festivals and potentially build future collaborations. In 2017, Acéléré by Circolombia featured at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

In May 2019, Ciro Guerra’s Embrace of the Serpent and Alan Ereira’s ALUNA, on his experience living with the Kogi community in the Colombian coastal mountains, were screened in Glasgow as part of the ÚNA: Latin America - Scotland Festival.In 2015, the British Council supported two Colombian delegates to attend Showcase Scotland as part of Celtic Connections.

As you are aware, the Scottish Parliament does not currently have the powers to make this happen, although we would like the level of devolution needed to fully support a health based approach. We want to implement a range of public health focused responses in order to tackle the emergency we face in drug deaths.

Decriminalisation is just one of the approaches that will be considered by the Drug Death Taskforce that I have convened. I am clear that we must look at the evidence of what has worked in helping reduce the harms and deaths associated with drug use, and there is strong support for such an approach from a range of health experts, academics and stakeholders.

The Scottish Government want to implement a range of public health focused responses in order to tackle the emergency we face in drug deaths, including the introduction of supervised drug consumption facilities. That is why our national alcohol and drug strategy, Rights, Respect and Recovery (November 2018), is about how we best support people across alcohol and drug issues.

We believe that there are limitations on public health outcomes associated with the 1971 Misuse of Drugs Act. If the UK Government continue to refuse to allow Scotland to take innovative, life-saving approaches, we call on them to pass the powers to the Scottish Parliament so we can take the action that will save lives.