Charity drug funders the Council Partners Charitable Trust are being used as a scapegoat in bitter public row over treatment, says one of its corporate donors.

Merrill Lynch President Robin Hamill said the CPCT was relevant, accountable, efficient and well managed.

He said: "These elements make it very easy for my company to say yes when asked to help.

"Perhaps the CPCT is being used as a scapegoat because other agencies, including the National Drug Agency, may not possess many of these attributes and seek to deflect attention away from their own shortcomings.

"I encourage all involved not to politicise the substance abuse problem in our community. It is a significant issue and it demands a unified strategy of funding, prevention and treatment."