Current status: Answered by Maree Todd on 11 March 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the purchase of two needle bins in Calton, Glasgow, at a cost of £5,000 represents value for money.
The Scottish Government’s position is that expenditure must be assessed against demonstrable outcomes, particularly where interventions are designed to address complex public health harms. At the Committee hearing on 2 October, representatives from Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP), Calton Community Council and Morrisons supermarket provided positive evidence of local impact. Morrisons reported a reduction of over 90% in needle collections in the vicinity since the Thistle facility opened.
In this context, the £5,000 investment in two needle bins indicates that associated harm reduction measures are delivering clear community benefits.
This reported reduction supports the Scottish Government view that such expenditure contributes effectively to public health and neighbourhood safety.