Professor John Robertson OBA

Thanks to Legerwood for alerting me to this.

From Scottish Public Health Observatory quarterly update March 2025:

In 2023/24, 0.2% (104) of a total of 44,835 babies born in Scotland were recorded as having been affected by maternal use of drugs. This rate decreased steadily over time from 6.9 per 1,000 live births in 2011/12 to 2.3 per 1,000 live births in 2023/24. More recently, the trend remains clear:

2020/21: 141 babies

2021/22: 129 babies

2022/23: 113 babies

2023/24: 104 babies

^{https://publichealthscotland.scot/publications/scottish-public-health-observatory-quarterly-update/scottish-public-health-observatory-quarterly-update-march-2025/}

In the Herald, yesterday, the above and:

We don’t get to see the yearly figures to see the trend, if things are getting worse or better, the actual news. An intelligent guess tells you that it’s an improving trend which disappoints Cole-Hamilton and the Herald.

Why do I feel sure of this? Because he tried the same in January 4 years ago and again last January 2025.

The leader of Scotland’s fifth biggest party is everywhere in the media today with his latest freedom of information scoop – babies born addicted to drugs.

He tries to shock with More than 1,500 babies in Scotland born dependent on drugs since 2017 but does not reveal the annual data, to hide a reducing trend.

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politics/over-1500-babies-scotland-born-34398819

How do I know it’s a reducing trend?

His report in 2022, in the Express showed a total in the 4 years from 2017/18 to 2020/2021 of 800, falling from 249 to 173.

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/scottish-news/hundreds-babies-born-addicted-drugs-25865690

Take that 800 from his 8 year total of 1 501 and you find that there have been only 701 in the last 4 years, a 12% decline.

BBC Scotland let him report the same lies in 2022. I complained but was told not revealing the trend and just presenting the total was not dishonest.