HC Deb 02 May 1973 vol 855 cc1245-7
19. Mr. Edward Taylor

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will take steps to issue advice to education authorities and school teachers on the problems associated with drug taking.

Mr. Monro

Yes. I am awaiting the advice of the Consultative Committee on the Curriculum which is considering the report of a working party on all aspects of health education including the problems associated with the misuse of drugs.

Mr. Taylor

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for that news. Will such guidance take account of the extremely good pamphlet published by the Department of Education and Science for England and Wales on drugs in schools? Is he aware that a disturbing report was put out by two researchers at Strathclyde University indicating that there was a significant drug problem among young people in the West of Scotland and that a conflicting view was put forward by other experts in Glasgow? In view of these conflicting reports may I suggest that the Health Department should look at the problem in the West of Scotland and indicate whether a major problem exists?

Mr. Monro

I appreciate the point that my hon. Friend has brought out. We must keep this problem in perspective and in proportion. My hon. Friend has indicated that there was conflicting opinion on the report produced by Strathclyde University. That report and the views of the authorities in Glasgow and of my Department will be borne in mind when we produce the report which I hope will be available by next Session.

Mr. Carmichael

Does the hon. Gentleman accept that we on this side of the House think that his method of handling this problem through the curriculum and health education unit is the best way of doing it? Does he agree that, while we all deplore the increase in the use of drugs, the sensationalism of some of these reports does not help the situation?

Mr. Monro

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his approach, which is similar to my own. The exaggerations were uncalled for. No one in this House or in Glasgow is complacent about the situation. However, it is not as serious as was made out by the report to which reference has been made. I hope that we shall be able to improve matters still further by the autumn.

Mr. Sproat

Does my hon. Friend agree that alcoholism is still a far greater danger among young people than drug taking? Will he indicate by what further measures he proposes to make young people in schools aware of the dangers of alcoholism?

Mr. Monro

I assure my hon. Friend that I have taken this matter seriously regarding not only children but adults. The more publicity that we can give to this illness the better. Many steps have been taken by the Glasgow Council on Alcoholism.

Mr. Alexander Wilson

Is the Minister really aware of the immensity of the problem? I am not particularly pinpointing schoolchildren. I refuse to believe that some of the reports are conflicting to the extent the hon. Gentleman makes out and I refuse to subscribe in any shape or form to the sensationalism that some hon. Members might wish. However, I am concerned that he should instruct education authorities in Scotland to have a campaign within all schools to inform children of the dangers of drug taking and drug experimentation. I have asked him to do this before. I ask him again to instruct local education authorities in Scotland to have such a campaign in all schools.

Mr. Monro

I will deal with what should happen within schools after the advice from the Department is given in the autumn. The hon. Gentleman should realise that there is a limit to the exaggeration of this problem. The Glasgow police have an active and efficient drug squad. In 1971 there were 17 cases relating to children, eight cases in 1972, and so far this year only two cases. We must keep matters in proportion.