Scotland's £746m drug and alcohol aid mystery as questions raised over spending

About £746million was ploughed into drug and alcohol programmes in Scotland over 10 years without any checks to see if the cash was being well spent.

A report by Audit Scotland says there were no systems in place to measure the cost-effectiveness of the programmes.

The slap-dash approach from 2008-2018 came despite drug deaths in Scotland almost doubling between 2009 and 2017 and becoming the worst in Europe.

The spending watchdogs called on the Scottish Government to quickly bring in systems to measure the performance of its latest alcohol and drugs strategy, announced last November.

The Daily Record's drugs series has been tackling Scotland's growing crisis (Daily Record)

The report says: “The cost-effectiveness and value for money of the investment made over the last 10 years has not been set out.

“Revised performance reporting processes are being planned for drug and alcohol services.

“It will be important for the Scottish Government to ensure that its commitments including a focus on prevention, reducing harm and better integrating treatment, can be measured and implemented.”

The report acknowledges many of the issues that have been reported in detail in the Daily Record in recent weeks, where drugs professionals have called for the UK Government to allow Scotland to establish drug consumption rooms.

Scottish Public Health Minister Joe FitzPatrick says "positive steps" are being made (Getty Images)

It highlighted the benefits of recovery communities across the country, where those with lived experience of drugs can provide support.

Audit Scotland also acknowledged the positive impact of take-home Naloxone kits, which can reverse the effects of overdoses and save lives.

Public health minister Joe FitzPatrick said: “The report highlights a number of the positive steps we are taking to tackle drug and alcohol-related harms, including the introduction of the Naloxone programme, minimum unit pricing and the fact we are meeting our targets in terms of drug and alcohol treatment waiting times.

“We will continue to monitor and evaluate progress on the actions from the new alcohol and drugs strategies.

“I believe that what Scotland faces in drug deaths is an emergency.

“I will soon be convening an expert group to advise on what further changes, in practice or in law, could help save lives and reduce harm.”

Labour’s health spokeswoman Monica Lennon said: ”The findings of this report must be acted on.”