SCOTTISH DRUGS CHIEF SET TO QUIT OVER FUNDING CUT

DAVID MACAULEY, the outspoken director of Scotland Against Drugs, looks set
to quit after the government's announcement last week that the group's
funding is to be cut by 75%.

Donald Dewar, Scottish secretary, reaffirmed support for the anti-drugs
campaign for a further three years, but said funding would be reduced to
£1m. The campaign will be refocused to concentrate on local community
issues and fund-raising business initiatives. Advertising campaigns will be
dropped. The campaign's advisory committee, which consists of more than 30
members from business, the church and the media, as well as health
professionals, will be reduced to a panel of six.

Sir Tom Farmer, Kwik-Fit chairman, will remain as chairman and Macauley's
£40,000 post as executive director is secured for the next three years. A
deputy chairman from the government-funded Drug Action Teams, which
specialise in safer substitute drug programmes, will be appointed shortly.

Although in public Macauley has pledged his commitment to the campaign and
the new board, friends say it is unlikely he will remain after the
restructuring in April as he has been offered lucrative contracts within
the private sector.

Macauley would not confirm or deny speculation over his position. He said:
"If the board maintains its focus on business and media - that is my area
of expertise - then I would be happy to continue."

However, he admitted that the next few months would be uncertain. "We are
awaiting further instructions but we would look to the new board members
for guidance, whoever they may be."

The new board is yet to be appointed by the Scottish secretary but
nominations will come from politicians previously on the advisory
committee, including Alex Salmond, leader of the Scottish National party,
Jim Wallace, leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, and Sam Galbraith,
Scottish health minister. The Conservative party has not had a member on
the advisory committee since its election defeat.