Drug research and impact of nitazenes: FOI release

Information requested

1. All briefings prepared, minutes from meetings and correspondence received, including internal correspondence, and sent by the Scottish Government about the creation of drug consumption rooms between October 2023 and the date of this FOI?

2. All research undertaken by or for the Scottish Government into drug decriminalisation in Portugal and Portland.

3. All briefings prepared for ministers about the impact of nitazenes this year.

4. How much NHS drug rehab beds have been cut across Scotland this year?

5. All correspondence, including minutes of meeting/ and internal correspondence, between Scottish Government and UK Government about Project Adder, from this year?

6. All correspondence, including minutes of meetings and internal correspondence, between the Scottish Government and UK Government, about drug consumption rooms from this year?

Response

I enclose a copy of all of the information you requested.

The answers to your questions are as follows:

1.All briefings prepared, minutes from meetings and correspondence received, including internal correspondence, and sent by the Scottish Government about the creation of drug consumption rooms between October 2023 and the date of this FOI?

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide some of the information you have requested because an exemption under section 30(c) of FOISA
(prejudice to effective conduct of public affairs) applies to all the information requested.

It is essential for officials to be able to communicate, often in confidence, with external stakeholders on a range of issues, including safer drug consumption facilities. Disclosing the content of these communications, particularly without the consent of the stakeholder, is likely to undermine their trust in the Scottish Government and will substantially inhibit communications on this type of issue in the future. These stakeholders will be reluctant to participate in meetings if they believe that their views are likely to be made public, particularly while these discussions relate to a sensitive or controversial issue such as safer drug consumption facilities. This would significantly harm the Government’s ability to carry out many aspects of its work, and could adversely affect its ability to gather all of the evidence it needs to make fully informed policies.

This exemption is subject to the ‘public interest test’. Therefore, taking account of all the circumstances of this case, we have considered if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption. We recognise that there is a public interest in disclosing information as part of open, transparent and accountable government, and to inform public debate. However, there is a greater public interest in allowing Ministers and officials a private space within which to communicate with appropriate external stakeholders as part of the process of exploring and refining the Government’s policy position on safer drug consumption facilities, until the Government as a whole can adopt a policy that is sound and likely to be effective. This private space is essential to enable all options to be properly considered, so that good policy decisions can be taken based on fully informed advice and evidence.

Please refer to the attached document for those of which we can release.

2. All research undertaken by or for the Scottish Government into drug decriminalisation in Portugal and Portland.

Please refer to the attached document.

3. All briefings prepared for ministers about the impact of nitazenes this year.

Please refer to the attached document.

4. How much NHS drug rehab beds have been cut across Scotland this year?

We hold no information in relation to this request. You may wish to contact NHS health boards directly.

However, the following information may be of use.

NHS Lothian were awarded approx. £3.2 million from the first round of the Residential Rehabilitation Rapid Capacity Programme to expand capacity at LEAP (Lothians & Edinburgh Abstinence Programme). As a result of the investment, LEAP developed:

• A 40% increase in capacity
• Greater detox provision through a 50% increase in capacity at the inpatient Ritson Clinic unit
• Better pathways to access treatment.
• Wider multidisciplinary team including a full lived experience Peer Bridging Support team.
• Improved aftercare provision including local authority areas.

5. All correspondence, including minutes of meeting/ and internal correspondence, between Scottish Government and UK Government about Project Adder, from this year?

We hold no information in relation to this request.

6. All correspondence, including minutes of meetings and internal correspondence, between the Scottish Government and UK Government, about drug consumption rooms from this year?

Please refer to the attached document.

Redactions

Please note that we have redacted some names from the information provided for questions 1 and 6 - which we have done under Section 38 of FOI(S)A.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.

FOI 202300390936 - Information Released - Annex

File type

82 page PDF

File size

1.9 MB