Report Summary
Issued 27 June 2025, this FOI response advises that information on Controlled Drugs Liaison Officers is not held by the Scottish Police Authority. Advice is provided that information may be held by relevant Health Boards. Information on the Authority's statutory duties is available and linked for assistance.
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Response
The Scottish Police Authority has considered your request under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act (FOISA).
FOISA allows members of the public to seek access to recorded information already held by Scottish public authorities. The Scottish Police Authority does not hold any information that would answer the question “has Police Scotland failed in their duty of candour by stating that “ CDLOs are not mandatory”.
However, if your question refers to the role of the Controlled Drugs Accountable Officer (CDAO) we can provide information to assist. This role has legal basis in the Health Act 2006. Section 17(1) of the Health Act allows a “relevant authority” to make regulations requiring “designated bodies” to appoint CDAOs. The Act explains that CDAOs have certain responsibilities in relation to the “safe, appropriate and effective management and use” of controlled drugs in connection with the designated body’s activities.
For Scotland, the “relevant authority” is the (UK) Secretary of State in consultation with the Scottish Ministers. The Secretary of State has exercised this power through the Controlled Drugs (Supervision of Management and Use) Regulations 2013. These regulations place no duty on Police Scotland to appoint CDAOs. The duty applies only to “designated bodies” which are Health Boards and related bodies. Therefore, the Authority and Police Scotland has no role in the duty to appoint CDAOs.
Information on CDAOs may be available by contacting the relevant Health Boards.
If you are dissatisfied with action or lack of action by Police Scotland, or about the standard of service provided by them you can make a complaint. Information on how to make a complaint is available on Police Scotland’s website.
In terms of your question “Does the SPA have a statutory duty to promote good policing principles and ensure compliance with legislation.”
The Authority considers that this information can reasonably be obtained.
The Authority was established as a public body on 1 April 2013 by the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012. Section 2 of the Act sets out the Authority's main functions.
The Authority, with Police Scotland, develops a Strategic Police Plan setting out the main objectives we seek to achieve for policing in Scotland. This aligns to the the policing principles laid down in the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012.
The Authority is committed to the open, transparent and accountable governance of policing and all public sessions of governance meetings are available to the press and public to observe.
