Douglas Ross writes to Nicola Sturgeon to firm up date for drugs death visit

Scottish Conservatives leader Douglas Ross has written to the First Minister to firm up a time and date that the pair can visit a poverty-stricken part of Scotland to hear first hand the effect of drugs deaths in the community.

First Minister and leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) Nicola Sturgeon and Scottish Conservative party leader Douglas Ross, pictured here at the Channel 4 News election debate in Glasgow in April.

Yesterday, Nicola Sturgeon agreed to the invitation to join Mr Ross at the Bluevale Community Club in Glasgow’s Haghill area, the second most deprived area in the country.

Mr Ross said he had now spoken to the manager at Bluevale and had proposed a time and date to Ms Sturgeon for the visit.

At First Ministers Questions yesterday, Mr Ross urged Ms Sturgeon to “listen to the experts and grieving families” by backing his plans for drug treatment legislation. He said that people living in parts of Scotland like Haghill were 18 times more likely to die from drugs than people in the richest.

A consultation by his party proposes the right of access to rehabilitation and other services for this seeking help with drug and alcohol addiction. Ms Sturgeon said she could not “engage with a bill which doesn’t yet exist”, but suggested she would be likely to give “fair wind” to the legislation once it is laid in Parliament.

A Scottish Conservative spokesman said: “After further discussions with the manager of Bluevale Community Club this morning, we have written to the First Minister with a proposed date and time for the visit.

“We are working with the First Minister’s office and hope to be able to confirm the details soon.”

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