THE Scottish Government has turned to Australia for help as it builds its case to create the UK’s first safe drug injecting space – an innovation that could save hundreds of lives.

Public health minister Aileen Campbell has held discussions with officials in the Victorian state government about their decision to open a “fix room” in Melbourne later this year.

Ms Campbell, who is in Australia for the Commonwealth Games in her dual role as sports minister, said the country’s experience provided a “compelling” case for such a facility.

Glasgow City Council and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde want to set up a supervised space giving heroin addicts sterile needles to help cut hepatitis and HIV infection.

An estimated 400 to 500 drug users currently inject in public on the city’s streets, creating additional health worries about contamination from discarded needles.

However, the planned facility – approved in theory 18 months ago – has been stymied by the country’s drugs laws, which are set at Westminster.

The Glasgow room was blocked after Scotland’s Lord Advocate, the head of the Crown Office, said people taking drugs there could not be given immunity from prosecution.

Glasgow councillors last week called unanimously on Home Secretary Amber Rudd to visit the city and see plans for the safe space, as part of a drive to pressure the UK Government into amending the Misuse of Drugs Act.

SNP councillor Mhairi Hunter, the city’s convener for health and social care integration, said the issue might be “politically sensitive”, but it was driven by a “public health emergency”.

Drug deaths in Scotland have more than doubled since 2006, reaching 867 in 2016.

Heroin was implicated in 650 of the fatalities, putting Scotland at the top of the league table for drug deaths in Europe.

Ms Campbell said the experience from Australia was that safe spaces were supported by local residents.

She added: “There are drug injection facilities in almost 70 cities around the world, but not one in the UK. That is because of outdated laws that the UK Government must either change or devolve to Scotland.

“There were 867 drug-related deaths in Scotland last year and countless other lives were devastated.

“How many of those people would still be alive if they were in a safe environment?”