Former contender to be Prime Minister, Rory Stewart, visited Glasgow to meet people dealing with homelessness and addiction.

The ex-Government minister posted a video on social media of his visit to a patch of land where public drug taking is common and discarded needles and equipment litter the ground.

Later in a telephone interview with the Evening Times Mr Stewart, however, said he was not aware of the debate around the council and health board plans for a Safer Drug Consumption Room.

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He said: “I looked at three things. People working with and helping people with Hepatitis C and HIV, homelessness and addiction.”

He said he spend some time with the Simon Community, who work with homeless people and those with addiction problems.

He added: “There a series of complicated issues. Part of it seems to be addiction and the right treatment for addiction.”

He said it was “very sad” speaking to people on the streets, adding: “It’s not they cant be put in a B&B for the night but longer term it’s the addiction that means they can’t function.

“It is a difficult and expensive thing to do. But the damage it is doing to people’s lives is enormous.”

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When asked about the potential of a Drug Consumption Room Mr Stewart said he was not aware of it and asked how it would work.

Once it was explained to him and the hurdle of the 1971 Drugs Act and Home Office refusal to allow it he began to speak about methadone.

He said: “One of the big disagreements I heard among those providing help was over methadone. One was in favour, while another was against it.”

When asked again about the drug consumption room he very politely ended the call by thanking the Evening Times for its interest.