Call to up cash on child services

Ms Marshall called for less spending on infrastructure

Scotland's outgoing children's commissioner has urged a doubling of spending on drug and alcohol services.

Kathleen Marshall told BBC Scotland that other budgets needed to be sacrificed to make tackling addiction a bigger priority.

Her call came as leading charity campaigner Tam Baillie is expected to be voted in as Ms Marshall's successor by MSPs.

Mr Baillie is currently policy director for the charity Barnardo's Scotland.

An estimated 60,000 Scottish children are growing up in households with drug and alcohol dependent parents and Ms Marshall said the impact on youngsters was "absolutely horrendous" and will not change without an increase in funding.

Ms Marshall, who served a six-year stint as commissioner, said "sacrifices" had to be made elsewhere to boost spending on drug and alcohol services.

As a starting point, she suggested Scotland could "spend less" on infrastructure.

During her time as children's commissioner, Ms Marshall became known for her outspoken views, and clashed with ministers on several issues, such as dawn immigration raids, questioned plans to electronically tag youngsters and a ban on smacking children.

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