Alex Cole-Hamilton, the Scottish Lib Dem leader, has urged John Swinney, the first minister, to spend more on tackling drug addiction in the new budget or risk losing his party’s support.
The Scottish Liberal Democrats said data from the country’s health boards showed that around 200 babies were born each year with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), a sign their mother was taking addictive drugs or abusing alcohol during pregnancy.
Swinney’s minority government needs votes from at least one opposition party to get its budget passed but its draft plans imply standstill spending on drug and alcohol rehabilitation and support.
Figures reveal 1,500 drug-addicted babies born in Scotland since 2017 Lib Dems call for extra funding to tackle problem and warn first minister that party could withdraw its support.
“Nicola Sturgeon [a previous first minister] cut the budget for drug and alcohol services and predictably this meant some services closing their doors and valuable expertise being lost.
