Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether he has had discussions with Cabinet colleagues on the potential impact of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 on Scotland.

Every drug death is a human tragedy, and we should all be deeply concerned about this crisis on Scotland’s streets.

It is deeply upsetting that Scotland continues to have the highest drug deaths in Europe. With an 11% rise in drug deaths last year, this is not just personally devastating outcomes for the families affected, it is also a national shame for Scotland.

While policing and healthcare are devolved to the Scottish Government, the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 extends to Scotland and remains reserved legislation.

The Home Office is the lead department and UK Government Ministers meet with counterparts in the devolved governments to discuss drugs policy issues - and did so most recently in June.