To ask the Scottish Government what value it places on specialist alcohol services, such as the primary care alcohol nurse outreach service in Glasgow, in dealing with the reported public health crisis in relation to alcohol. (S6O-03396)

The Scottish Government values all initiatives and actions that are taken to help to address the public health crisis in relation to alcohol. Specialist services play a key part in helping to address that emergency, and initiatives such as the primary care outreach nurse service help to deliver co-ordinated and person-centred assessment, advice and care for people who have been impacted by alcohol.

Last week, the Glasgow alcohol and drug partnership decided to downgrade the alcohol nurse outreach service by transferring it to a more generic drugs and alcohol service. That was done as a result of Scottish National Party cuts to the primary care budget. Does the minister accept that there is a need to ensure parity of response for alcohol and drug addictions, and will she ensure that the most vulnerable people with alcohol addiction in areas of the greatest deprivation in Glasgow are not let down by that decision?

As Jackie Baillie pointed out, the decision has been taken to amalgamate the alcohol nurse outreach service, which was a pilot that was set up by the health and social care partnership, into the alcohol and drugs recovery service. That will bolster an existing very successful service with nurses. That service is already accessed not only by people who have a drugs issue but by people who have an alcohol issue. According to the information that I have received, it is a good service that will absolutely support people who are in need of such holistic care.

Can the minister provide an update on what action the Scottish Government is taking to reduce health inequalities when it comes to alcohol-related harm?

The Scottish Government is determined to do all that it can to reduce alcohol-related harm. We continue to implement actions that are outlined in our alcohol framework, which have a strong focus on reducing health inequalities, protecting children and young people, and building on existing measures to change Scotland’s relationship with alcohol. Those include our world-leading minimum unit pricing policy, which, the evidence suggests, has contributed to reducing health inequalities, as the largest estimated reductions in deaths attributable wholly to alcohol consumption have been in men and those who live in the 40 per cent most deprived areas. Alongside MUP, we continue to invest in treatment and a wide range of other measures, including funding for alcohol and drug partnerships, which rose to a record £112 million in 2023-24.