HC Deb 17 April 1985 vol 77 cc253-4
7. Mr. Wilson

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is satisfied with the level of action being taken to curb the trade in hard drugs in Scotland.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland (Mr. Michael Ancram)

Strenuous efforts are being made with considerable success by the police and other agencies to curb traffic in illegal drugs. My right hon. Friend is continuing to give high priority to a range of measures to deal with the serious consequences of drug trafficking.

Mr. Wilson

Although I appreciate the stance that the Government are taking on this matter, I must ask whether they fully realise the nature of the raging epidemic in the use of hard drugs. Is the Minister aware that prevention is the best part of cure, and that only two months ago a Bangladeshi jute liner came into Dundee and was left unattended by the customs service for 24 hours, because, as a result of Government cuts, no customs officers were available in Dundee to deal with it? Does he further realise that two loads of drugs were subsequently found aboard that jute liner? In those circumstances, will he increase the money available to enhance the customs services and the police so that we manage to stop the drugs coming into the country before they do the harm that they can do?

Mr. Ancram

I assure the hon. Gentleman that the Government are in no way complacent about the drugs problem in Scotland. As he will know, the number of customs officers is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who announced last year that manpower in Her Majesty's Customs and Excise would be increased by 185 posts above the previous planning level. That includes 60 temporary posts, made permanent in 1984, to enhance general preventive controls, and 100 new posts specifically to combat drug smuggling in 1985–86. I understand that the Scottish position will be considered when the deployment of those extra 100 officers is decided.

Mr. Fairbairn

In addition to all attempts to prevent the trade in hard drugs, will my hon. Friend give the widest publicity to the harm caused by soft drugs, which are not only extremely harmful in themselves but which usually lead to an escalation of abuse into the devastating area of hard drugs?

Mr. Ancram

The Government believe that so-called soft drugs are harmful in themselves and often lead to the use of hard drugs. The Government will be taking the appropriate action to prevent those drugs, as well has hard drugs, from being used.

Mr. Craigen

As prevention is better than cure in this area, is the Minister satisfied that there are adequate links among all police authorities in Scotland and Her Majesty's Customs and Excise? Will he ensure that the Secretary of State for Scotland has a word with the Prime Minister about giving the tackling of the drug problem a higher political priority than it has now, especially as the Prime Minister's social and economic policies tend to encourage this misuse?

Mr. Ancram

To deal with the hon. Gentleman's last question first, I do not know on what basis he makes that assertion. He will remember that in the late 1960s and early 1970s, when employment was high, there was an increase in drug misuse. In countries such as Holland and Switzerland, which have high employment, drug abuse is a serious problem. I accept that intelligence and coordination are important, and we work constantly to improve them. Indeed, six of the eight police forces in Scotland have specialist drug squads, and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will consider sympathetically requests from police authorities for increased complements to deal with drug abuse.