HC Deb 05 May 1966 vol 727 cc1853-4
36. Mrs. Renée Short

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he intends to take to eliminate drug-taking among young people.

Miss Bacon

I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answer given by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Health on 28th April, about the action being taken on the recommendations of the Interdepartmental Committee on Drug Addiction for strengthening certain controls over narcotic drugs. At the same time my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary is reviewing the working of the controls over amphetamine-type drugs in the Drugs (Prevention of Misuse) Act, 1964.

Mrs. Short

Is my right hon. Friend aware that this problem is affected by the fact that so many Departments are responsible? Does not she think that she should discuss this matter with the Minister of Education in order to see what information is available to young people about the terrible consequences of drug addiction? Should not she also take up the matter with the Minister of Health, in connection with setting up remand centres?

Miss Bacon

I understand that a Question to my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister about the Departmental angle is to be answered on Monday of next week—but we are in close touch with the other Ministers concerned, because we realise that this is a very serious problem. My hon. Friend will be interested to note that since the 1964 Act came into operation in October, 1964, there have been 1,000 prosecutions.

Mr. Braine

Is the right hon. Lady aware that the Brain Committee on Drug Addiction reported over six months ago, and made a number of useful recommendations, involving legislation? We all agree that this is a most serious and intractable problem, but can the right hon. Lady give the House some indication when we shall get that legislation?

Miss Bacon

As the Minister of Health announced in the House only last week, the Government have decided to accept the recommendation to set up an advisory committee on the whole question of drug addiction, as suggested by the Brain Committee, and consideration is being given to the other aspects of the Committee's Report. As the hon. Member will know, some of the recommendations of the Brain Committee need agreement on an international level in respect of certain drugs.

Dr. Gray

Will my right hon. Friend consider undertaking a comparative study of the amount of drugs prescribed by medical practitioners in London to registered addicts, publish the results and take suitable action?

Miss Bacon

We are concerned with the matter at present. We know that in some cases there has been an over-prescribing of these drugs.