HC Deb 01 December 1970 vol 807 cc1052-3
1. Mr. Fowler

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he has for improving facilities for the treatment and after care of drug users.

The Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Security (Mr. Michael Alison)

I am not aware of inadequacies in treatment facilities. As regards rehabilitation, we plan to continue implementing the advice in the report of the Advisory Committee on Drug Dependence.

Mr. Fowler

I thank my hon. Friend for that reply. Is the number of drug users treated by the drug dependence clinics rising or falling? Is any study being made of compulsory treatment for addicts?

Mr. Alison

The latter point is being considered. Our information is that the numbers treated are rising steadily but so far have not filled out all the places available.

Mr. Speaker

Mrs. Short. The hon. Lady's Question was answered with this one.

Mrs. Renée Short

The Minister did not say so.

Mr. Speaker

Very well. We will come back to it.

Mrs. Shirley Williams

Will the Minister confirm that the numbers going to treatment clinics are rising slowly and that the rise is a very small one? Will he consider looking into such facilities as those offered by the Phoenix House experiment—that is, a very stern hostel régime—as well as the possibility of compulsory treatment?

Mr. Alison

The figures are rising slowly, but they are rising. I will consider the suggestion contained in the second part of the hon. Lady's supplementary question.

7. Mrs. Renée Short

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proposals he has for increasing hostel accommodation for patients after hospital treatment for drug addiction.

Mr. Alison

We plan to continue implementing the advice in the report of the Advisory Committee on Drug Dependence.

Mrs. Short

Will the hon. Gentleman bear in mind that there is absolutely no point in treating drug addicts in hospital and then sending them straight back to the environment where they learned to become drug addicts, and that they need some sort of bridging facilities? Will he look carefully at the amount of money which his Department is giving both to hospitals and to voluntary organisations and see whether he can be rather more generous so that more hostel places are provided?

Mr. Alison

I take the point about the necessity of establishing a continuum in this field. We are up to the standards which the Advisory Committee advised in regard to after-care treatment. The hon. Lady will appreciate that this is an extremely time-consuming operation and it really needs one-person-to-one-person attention to secure the full rehabilitation of a patient who has been cleared of addiction.

Mr. Blenkinsop

Could the hon. Gentleman make clear to local authorities the Government's continuing interest in encouraging any schemes, often suitable voluntary schemes, for hostel provision of this sort?

Mr. Alison

This point is covered in our negotiations and discussions with local authorities.

Mr. Selwyn Gummer

Does my hon. Friend agree that one of the problems about the opening of these hostels is that local authorities misunderstand their purpose, and could he do his best to bring to their attention what they are used for?

Mr. Alison

This is still experimental work, but we are co-operating closely with local authorities in this respect.