§ 15. Mr. Gurdenasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will take steps to combat the use of drugs among schoolchildren by way of lectures and film demonstrations in schools and colleges.
§ Mr. Denis HowellHealth education is a matter for local education authorities and for individual schools and colleges. Use is made of teaching materials, including films and talks, and the advice of medical officers in my Department and of the Inspectorate is increasingly being sought.
§ Mr. GurdenIs the hon. Gentleman aware that there is a serious shortage of home-produced films, and that the only ones available are some out-dated American ones which have to be imported? It would take only a few hundred pounds for voluntary organisations to produce films. Will the hon. Gentleman indicate to local authorities that something ought to be done about this?
§ Mr. HowellOur responsibilities in respect of health education are such that we want to see more up-to-date films, if they do not exist. I was in touch with a hospital in the city which the hon. Gentleman and I represent about the possibility of basing such film manufacture on a hospital there. I am not certain of the up-to-date position, but I undertake to write to the hon. Gentleman about it.
§ Mr. Scott-HopkinsDoes the hon. Gentleman know the extent of the increase in the taking of soft drugs like cannabis in universities and colleges of further education? What is he doing to stop this increase?
§ Mr. HowellLast week I dealt with figures about drug addiction which showed that for the last year available there was a slight decrease. I was not drawing any deduction from them—it was 1544 far too premature to do so—but at least it was a hopeful sign.