At First Minister’s Questions today, Alex Cole-Hamilton implored John Swinney to do more to prevent babies being born addicted to drugs and to ensure that pregnant women had access to support to help them recover from addiction.

He said:

Before politics I was a youth worker, and I vividly remember the first time I saw a medical device known as a ‘tummy tub’.

They are essentially buckets filled with body temperature water which simulate the womb in order to comfort babies going through withdrawal. It is needed because they are born addicted to drugs.

Since 2017, at least 1,500 babies have been born with neonatal abstinence syndrome- showing signs of drug addiction like uncontrollable trembling, hyperactivity, distressed crying.

Aberlour want to open more residential beds for mothers and babies. New intensive perinatal services.

But, as things stand, all of the funding for this ends next March.

Does the First Minister agree that these interventions require more government money and more certainty? Because Scotland desperately needs world-leading drug services. Because we need to stop people dying. And because we need to do more to help these babies who spend the first days of their lives addicted to drugs.

John Swinney replied:

Over the Christmas and new year period, I saw the material that Mr Cole-Hamilton published on this important issue. I acknowledge the seriousness of the point that he puts to me. No newborn baby should be born dependent on substances, and mothers should be able to get the help that they need, free from judgment and stigma. That principle underpins the Government’s approach to tackling drug issues in our society, and more will be announced and demonstrated about that in the next few days.

I welcome the points that Mr Cole-Hamilton has put to me today. We can discuss those issues further to determine what assistance the Government, in its financial provisions, can make to honour my commitment that no newborn baby should be born with any form of dependence on substances. I am happy to discuss those issues with Mr Cole-Hamilton, and I am sure that the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care will be able to take those discussions forward. We commit to addressing the legitimate points that Mr Cole-Hamilton has put to me today

Aberlour Children’s Charity is calling on the Scottish Government to invest in intensive recovery services for mothers and children affected by substance abuse. The charity say that this investment would allow them to increase the number of rehabilitation beds for mothers and children and to open new intensive perinatal services.

Earlier this month, Scottish Liberal Democrat research found that since 2017 at least 1,501 babies were born with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS)- showing signs of drug addiction because of their mothers taking legal or illegal drugs during pregnancy.