Report Summary
This report provides members of the Forensic Services Committee with an overview of Long-Term Sustainable Model – Resource Update.
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Meeting
The publication discussed was referenced in the meeting below
Forensic Services Committee - 30 October 2025
Date : 30 October 2025
Location : Online
Background
In October 2019, Section 5A of the Road Traffic Act 1988 came into force in Scotland. This legislation set out a specific offence of driving with a specified controlled drug above a prescribed limit.
Since the introduction of the legislation, it has been determined that the prevalence of drug driving on the roads of Scotland is far higher than estimated. Internal capacity within the laboratory has been maximised to its full extent and is in line with the agreed level set out in the Memorandum of Understanding agreed with Police Scotland and COPFS in January 2025.
Additional analysis is being outsourced to an external provider for samples over and above the agreed level of demand and to allow for planned internal improvement activities.
In their assurance review published in April 2023 HMICS recommended that:
SPA Forensic Services should review its Estates Strategy in respect of toxicology provision and consider the development of a dedicated road traffic facility.
Police Scotland have indicated an ambition to roll out roadside drug testing to Local Policing Officers, demand forecasting has indicated that this will increase submission up to eight times the current level. To deliver this an Initial Business Case (IBC) was developed to detail what would be required for a Long-Term Sustainable Model (LTSM) for delivery of toxicology services to support Police Scotland, this was approved by the SPA Resources Committee in December 2024.
