The Scottish government is to host its own drugs summit the day before a planned UK government conference in Glasgow, claiming the Home Office was unwilling to listen to people with first-hand experience of drug use.

Public health minister Joe Fitzpatrick confirmed the Scotland-focused meeting would take place on Wednesday 26^th February at the same venue as the UK-wide gathering the following day.

He said: “We’ve pressed the UK Government to extend their event to accommodate [people with lived experience], but this has not yet been forthcoming.

“We’ve been clear that the views and insights of people with lived experience must help shape how we tackle the high number of drug deaths in Scotland.

“As a result, we are working with Glasgow City Council to host a Scottish summit on the eve of the UK event to try and better highlight the problem in Scotland.”

But a UK Government spokesperson denied this and said drug deaths could only be tackled by 'working together'.

This is the latest phase of the dispute between the two governments on how to tackle drug deaths.

Campaigners, experts and the Scottish government want to see the law changed so safer consumption spaces can be opened in cities hit hardest by the crisis, including Dundee and Glasgow.

A taskforce set up by the Scottish government is also looking into the possibility of decriminalising drugs entirely.

But Whitehall has refused to make legal changes to allow such a move, despite Westminster committees warning current drugs policy is “clearly failing”.

When he announced the UK-wide summit being held in Glasgow later this month, Home Office minister Kit Malthouse said “firm enforcement action” was still needed. 

The findings of a UK-wide review into drug-related deaths led by Professor Dame Carol Black will be unveiled at the meeting on the 27th.

Mr FitzPatrick said: “It’s clear the Misuse of Drugs Act is no longer fit for purpose. To enable innovations, such as a safer drug consumption facility, the law needs to change.

“We hope the UK government will listen to the call from Scotland to make the necessary changes in the law to allow this to happen.”

Glasgow council leader Susan Aitken said: “Glasgow is ready to pilot a safer drug consumption facility. We know that it is an intervention which will help protect the public and help save lives.

“We want to work constructively with both governments to find a solution, so we can put one in place. We hope that a workable plan is an outcome of the summits taking place in the city.”

A UK Government spokesperson said: “Our UK-wide Drug summit in Glasgow will address in detail the challenges of drug misuse, which has a devastating impact on communities across Scotland, Wales, England and Northern Ireland.

“We have invited people with personal experience of drug addiction, independent experts, charities, health bodies and senior police officers as well as representatives of the Scottish Government, such as Scottish public health minister Joe Fitzpatrick and Catriona Matheson, chair of the Drug Deaths Taskforce for Scotland. Only by working together can we tackle the tragedy of drug deaths.”