The Scottish justice secretary is being urged to protect a safe house for drunken revellers in Aberdeen.
North-east Labour MSP Richard Baker has called on Kenny MacAskill to “match rhetoric with reality” and prevent Albyn House from closing.
The Dee Street facility provides a place where those deemed “drunk and incapable” can sober up before going home, rather than being thrown in a police cell or treated in hospital.
Currently both NHS Grampian and Police Scotland split the £360,000 a year running costs, but there are fears the police are set to withdraw support.
Albyn House has been in operation for three decades. In 2008 Mr MacAskill said he was impressed by the services it offered.
“Others will agree that it would be a cause for regret if its services were not available,” he said.
“The government’s position is clear. Cells and casualty units are not appropriate places for people who find themselves drunk and incapable.”
Mr Baker hopes to pin down Mr MacAskill during ministerial questions in the Scottish Parliament on Thursday.
He said: “Kenny MacAskill cannot wash his hands on this vital project. If it was a good idea in 2008 it certainly is a good idea to keep this project open today.
“This project saves money for NHS Grampian and the police and any withdrawal of funding would be at best short-sighted and at worst will leave some vulnerable people at real risk of serious harm.
“The justice secretary must match his rhetoric from 2008 with the reality of real support for this project and I will pursue all means at my disposal to keep this excellent innovation going.”
A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “The Scottish Government has made a record investment of £278million since 2008 to tackle problem alcohol use and this includes over £3million in funding specifically for Grampian in 2014/15.
“The fact is that Police Scotland have made no announcement about cutting their funding of this project.
“Police Scotland’s top priority is keeping people safe, which they are successfully delivering. We are confident that they will continue to do so, working in partnership with local authorities and other bodies to ensure that the needs of all members of the community are supported.”