UK govt ‘is not going to intervene’ to cease pilot drug consumption room being launched in Scotland
The UK authorities is not going to intervene to cease a pilot drug consumption room in Scotland, Alister Jack has mentioned.
The Scottish secretary mentioned ministers at Holyrood now have “no more excuses” to behave after he made the dedication within the House of Commons.
SNP MPs had pressed the Westminster authorities to stipulate its place after Scotland’s Lord Advocate paved the way in which for such a facility to be established.
Dorothy Bain KC made clear that prosecuting the customers of such a facility for easy medicine possession prices would “not be in the public interest”.
Mr Jack advised the Commons: “Drug consumption rooms will not be the straightforward answer that honourable members might imagine. There isn’t any secure strategy to take unlawful medicine.
“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 authorities and Lord Advocate resolve to proceed with a pilot on DCRs – drug consumption rooms – the UK authorities is not going to intervene.”
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SNP Scotland spokesman Tommy Sheppard described the Lord Advocate’s assertion as a “game-changer” because it removes “one of the major obstacles” to a pilot facility to assist stop 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 additionally very clear that the Lord Advocate and the Scottish authorities seem to have achieved a workaround that permits them to have a pilot drug consumption room, in all probability in Glasgow, and the United Kingdom authorities is not going to intervene in that.
“So you now have no more excuses.”