CASH seized from drug dealers and organised criminals should be re-invested in the communities where they do most damage, says a Glasgow MSP.

Paul Martin called on Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill to ensure areas such as his Glasgow Provan constituency benefit from money recovered by the courts.

The Labour MSP asked if Mr MacAskill could tell him how much cash was seized from organised crime in his constituency under the Proceeds Of Crime Act.

The Justice Secretary said £60million had been seized in Scotland since 2003, but it was not possible to put geographical locations on the figure because organised criminal activity took place across communities at various levels.

Mr Martin suggested areas with serious drug problems, such as Provan, should benefit most from cash seized.

He said: "Perhaps those communities most affected by drug crime should receive a significant share of those proceeds that are very effectively collected by the courts."

Mr MacAskill rejected the claim and said while cash was being invested in the areas that suffered most, there were many communities that could lay claim to money seized from individual drug dealers.

He said: "What Mr Martin forgets is that crime knows no geographical boundaries.

"Many of the problems faced in our communities blighted by drugs actually are matters that emanate from activity in the West Midlands or Merseyside.

"I would pose the counter question: if a matter is disrupted by the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency in terms of a drug delivery going from Liverpool to Glasgow Provan, but disrupted elsewhere, who claims it?

"Is is the responsibility of Liverpool? Is it the responsibility of Provan?

"We pour money into the areas that suffer most. We will not go down the road of a postcode lottery.

"Far too many areas in Scotland are blighted and each and every are is entitled to some support."

stewart.paterson@ heraldandtimes.co.uk