HC Deb 19 July 1984 vol 64 cc501-2
9. Sir David Price

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has as to the changes in the level of drug addiction in Hampshire over recent years, and, in particular, whether there has been an increase in the use of heroin.

Mr. Mellor

As in many other parts of the country, it appears that there has been an increase in the level of drug addiction in Hampshire and that heroin is now more readily available than hitherto.

Sir David Price

Is my hon. Friend aware that the situation is much worse than appears from the official figures that he gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Southampton, Test (Mr. Hill) yesterday? Is he prepared to initiate joint action by Government Departments and local authorities on a matter which falls between various spheres of authority and clearly needs to be master-minded by someone?

Mr. Mellor

I agree with my hon. Friend on both points. We acknowledge that the figures for registered addicts underestimate the number of people addicted to opiates to the extent that they should probably be multiplied by five to give an accurate idea of the situation. In exactly the spirit of my hon. Friend's question, my right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary is setting up an inter-departmental working group of Ministers, to be chaired by me. We intend to develop Government policy especially on the crucial aspect of co-ordinating the various agencies which must work together if the problem is ever to be defeated.

Dr. M. S. Miller

Is there not an element of complacency in the Minister's remarks, in view of the enormous increase in addiction to hard drugs in the past 10 to 15 years? Do the Government intend to wait until we reach the situation that obtains in some parts of the United States before action is taken to hammer the problem so that the youth of this country can be protected?

Mr. Mellor

I do not believe that there is any complacency. If there were, I should greatly regret it, because the last thing that we feel about this problem is complacent. Since the Government took office we have taken a range of initiatives which have led to a dramatic increase in the seizure of heroin. The Misuse of Drugs Act has been amended to control barbiturates, under the schedule. The aim of the working group is to develop our policies. We are in no sense complacent about what we have achieved so far. We wish to build on those achievements, recognising that we are dealing with a serious and deteriorating situation.

Mr. John Browne

Does my hon. Friend agree that the Government should provide more resources for rehabilitation and consider much harsher sentences for drug trafficking? Will he also investigate accessibility to drugs, including the misuse and abuse of doctors' prescriptions, with a view to tightening controls on the lines of the apparently good control of ammunition and firearms certificates?

Mr. Mellor

We are taking action on all those matters. There are powers to send drug offenders to prison for a very long time and we propose to take action to allow the courts to deprive traffickers of the proceeds of their crime. On the prohibition of drugs, as I said earlier, barbiturates are now controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act and we shall continue to take action along similar lines if drugs now freely available become subject to abuse. Firm action will be taken against doctors issuing prescriptions negligently or for ill motives, including prohibiting them from practising while disciplinary proceedings are taking place, if that seems appropriate. I am sure that all those measures will be welcomed by both sides of the House.

Mr. Kilroy-Silk

What faith can we have in he Government's determination to reduce the flow of heroin into Hampshire and other parts of the country when they have reduced the number of uniformed customs staff by 900 and when the Home Secretary makes a well-publicised announcement in December that he will be sending one full-time customs officer to Pakistan but does not send him there until 13 April and brings him back on 15 May?

Mr. Mellor

As ever, the hon. Gentleman trivialises the situation. Since the Government took office the number of specialist customs investigators dealing with heroin has doubled. [Interruption.] If the hon. Gentleman will keep quiet, I will give him the answer that he needs. As a consequence, 38 kg of heroin was seized in 1980, 212 kg in 1983 and 193 kg so far this year, including 100 kg in May and June alone. That is a measure of our success, although it also reflects the increase in the amount of heroin coming into the country. That is why we propose further measures. If the hon. Gentleman thinks that simply increasing the number of customs officers in the green channel will help when 40 million people pass through London's airports every year, that is certainly wishful thinking.