§ Motion made, and Question proposed, That this House do now adjourn.—[Mr. Andrew Mitchell.]
9.58 pm§ Mr. Mike Watson (Glasgow, Central)I am sure that in responding to the debate, the Minister will, as is traditional, congratulate me on securing a debate on this subject. I am sure, however, that he will understand when I say that it gives me no pleasure this evening to discuss drugs in Glasgow. The subject brings misery, chaos and pain to so many people in Glasgow and increasingly, even more sadly, it brings death.
In common with most cities throughout the world, the misuse of drugs is widespread throughout the city of Glasgow. Over the past 15 years, the range of drugs used and the number of people using them appear to have increased dramatically; that is particularly true of teenagers and young adults. Last year, the Greater Glasgow health board prepared a report on the scale and pattern of drug misuse in the city. The report shows widespread use of cannabis; Ecstasy and amphetamines are popular recreational drugs on the dance scene. LSD and cocaine, although less widely used, are found to be quite prominent. The misuse of pharmaceutical drugs is common. These include potentially addictive tranquillisers such as Temazepam and Valium, and opiate painkillers such as Temgesic. Some of these drugs originate from local NHS prescriptions, but many are illicitly obtained.
It was estimated that there were between 7,000 and 9,000 drug injectors in Glasgow—the figure has now been uprated—most of whom were in their twenties and lived in socially deprived—
It being Ten o'clock, the motion for the Adjournment of the House lapsed, without Question put. Motion made, and Question proposed, That this House do now adjourn.—[Mr. Andrew Mitchell.]
§ Mr. WatsonIt was estimated that there were between 7,000 and 9,000 drug injectors in Glasgow, most of whom were in their twenties and lived in socially deprived areas of the city. That is an important aspect of drug addiction. Of those who died an often painful death in the city last year, few were categorised as being young trainee chartered accountants, student lawyers or chartered surveyors. It is increasingly people from the most socially deprived areas of the city who are caught up in the drug culture. Typically, heroin or Temgesic is injected daily by many of these people, and the drug is often taken in combination with Temazepam or a variety of other drugs, producing all too often a lethal cocktail.
As a spin-off from the culture of injection, at least 300 people in the city require care as a result of HIV infections. That places an additional burden on the medical services. Fatal overdose among drug injectors is the most important single cause of death among young adults in Glasgow. Although the prevalence of HIV infection among drug injectors remains relatively low, other dangerous blood-borne viral infections, such as hepatitis B and C, are widespread and could yet have long-term consequences.
In the face of those frightening statistics, Greater Glasgow health board has taken significant steps to deal with drug misuse, including the establishment of a 251 successful needle exchange service and a range of community drug services funded by the health board and managed by Strathclyde region's social work department. I pay tribute at this stage to the Glasgow drug problem service, which was introduced in 1993 and which provides specialist treatment for drug users, and to the Glasgow drug crisis centre, which was opened in-1994 and is run by Turning Point, the largest UK charity helping people with drink, drug and mental health problems. That centre consists of a 24-hour, one-stop help and assessment service, together with a 12-bed emergency, short-stay facility. In the short time in which it has been in operation, it has been inundated by demands for its unique services, such is the scale of the drug problem in Glasgow today.
In 1994, official figures showed that 95 people died throughout Strathclyde from drugs or drug-related causes. Many of those deaths occurred within the city and this year, including the tragic deaths last weekend of 26-year-old Roger Gallagher in Clydebank and 27-year-old James Edgar in Bridgeton in my constituency, the figure already stands at 47. At that rate, it will comfortably reach three figures by the end of the year.
One of the organisations that regularly has to deal with the effects, as they affect families and friends of those who have died, is the Glasgow Association of Family Support Groups. It is under no illusions; it knows that the official figures represent a considerable understatement. It has joined me in calling on the Scottish Office to hold a wide-ranging, public inquiry into the causes of drug-related deaths in the city. I have to report, with dismay, that Lord Fraser, the Minister with responsibility, has turned down that request. He maintains that the fatal accident inquiry held in 1993 dealt with the matter, but the Glasgow Association of Family Support Groups maintains emphatically that it did not, and I support that view.
The inquiry left many questions unanswered and failed to consider various areas of concern. First, there is the likely under-reporting of deaths if the cause is given simply as a physical organ failure or inhalation of vomit, or other similar reasons. Secondly, there is the frequency of deaths involving people on prescription drugs, such as methadone and other medically prescribed medication. Thirdly, there are the different policies of health boards in respect of prescribing substitutes, which might also include the issue of differing approaches to harm reduction policies. Fourthly, there is the question of how and in what circumstances autopsies are carried out on people who die from an overdose. There appears to be a particular issue in this respect related to deaths in prison. Fifthly, a number of people commit suicide while undergoing detoxification programmes or die immediately after leaving residential detox centres.
Lord Fraser has agreed to meet the Glasgow Association of Family Support Groups and me. While that will enable us to highlight to the Minister the points that I have mentioned and others, it will not bring them into the open in the full glare of public inquiry. That is what is needed and I shall continue to press for it.
In the meantime, the drug trade carries on, bringing untold misery to thousands and untold riches to a select few. Only last week it was reported that a Robert Maxwell—that does not seem to be a very lucky name—was gaoled for 12 years for trafficking in heroin. By his mid-30s, he was comfortably a millionaire. Although he now languishes—thankfully—behind bars, no one doubts that his place has been quickly and most effectively filled.
252 There is hope, however, that some more people may follow Maxwell's journey to gaol. That is largely a result of an anti-drugs campaign launched by the Evening Times two weeks ago, for which the paper is due great credit, not least because it shows that the art of campaigning journalism is not lost—as has appeared from the recent antics of other tabloid newspapers that used to carry out that function.
The main thrust of the Evening Times campaign is to encourage people in the communities throughout the city to use a special hot line telephone number to report names and addresses of suppliers and pushers who bring daily misery and often death to thousands of mainly young people throughout Glasgow. The hot line has been such a success that more than 700 calls have been received in the two weeks since it was opened. The police have already acted on the names supplied by the Evening Times and, indeed, the first arrests have been made.
For a long time it has been obvious to me that many people in the city know who the pushers and suppliers are, where their houses are and which cars to look for at any particular time of the week. People come to my surgeries in the various communities in my constituency such as Calton, Gorbals, Bridgeton and Royston and say, "We know that so and so is dealing in drugs", "We know that she operates a safe house," and "We know that he is on a street corner at 11 o'clock any morning and that he will give this, this and this drug." They have reported that information to the police and, too often, it has been impossible for the police to act on it because they do not have firm evidence.
The Evening Times hot line has reported that a surprising number of women are involved in supplying drugs. Indeed, it has also said that families are dealing. It seems that the drugs culture is so endemic that people are quite prepared to operate openly in the streets. I have seen it myself, as have many other people in the city. Graphic pictures in the newspapers have shown such activity occurring quite openly and—apparently—with impunity.
That is not to blame the police. I have been in regular contact with the Strathclyde police drug squad and I commend it for its job. If its resources were significantly increased, it would enable it to target certain areas, to which I shall return. My comments are not meant as a criticism of the police. Often it is simply impossible for them to catch the people who are known to be dealing because of an intricate system of signals and tip-offs. Often, shortwave radios are used to intercept police raids.
Certain names are given regularly to the hot line. I believe that those evil people have no right to anonymity, which the Evening Times is obliged, for legal reasons, to provide. I have a list of those people most regularly named by callers to the hot line. That the people named are guilty of dealing in death is not seriously in doubt. It is my sincere wish that they should be exposed and I now have the opportunity of doing so.
Before preparing this speech, I felt obliged to contact Strathclyde police for their view on what I intended to do. I believe that the people named should have no hiding place. Strathclyde police considered my views and the names which I was about to announce and urged caution on me. Their view was that my reading out a list of names would not be helpful to bringing prosecutions. Having taken their advice, it seems to make little sense to cast it aside.
253 The aim is, of course, to lock up as many of those people as possible, as quickly as possible, to get them off the streets and to ensure that they can no longer ply their evil trade. It is with considerable reluctance, therefore, that I will not name names at this stage, although I intend to do so on a future date in the House, if given the opportunity, should those people not be brought to trial. I want to do everything I can to assist Strathclyde police in bringing those people before the law. I am anxious that, were I to name names, that might prejudice any proceedings that might be brought against them. I obviously see no benefit from that course of action.
The Evening Times campaign will continue and I am proud to do what I can to support it. Action is needed and I hope that the Minister will provide some positive proposals in his response.
I joined many agencies, statutory and non-statutory, in welcoming the report of the Scottish drugs task force, which was published in October. It contained 60 recommendations, many of potential value. The first steps are now being taken to introduce some of those proposals; meanwhile I must draw the Minister's attention to the fact that the number of drug-related deaths has continued to rise in Glasgow. This year's total so far is greater even than that reached in 1994. An effective response to try to reduce that death rate requires an input from a range of agencies in a multi-agency approach.
Recommendation 25 of the task force report stated:
The community Drug Problem Service model for providing services to drug misusers should be further developed with a view to achieving more referrals from and to generic social work services".It has been argued that prescribing services can be effective only if they work in tandem with the social care agencies, particularly community-based drug services. I certainly support that view. Many of the community-based agencies still feel that the prescribing model operating in Glasgow could improve its links with other agencies to provide a more effective service.Statistics from the Glasgow drug crisis centre, to which I referred earlier, show that 80 per cent. of its clients did not have secure accommodation and 25 per cent. were rootless. That makes access to primary health care and prescribing services difficult, if not impossible. The clients of the Glasgow drug crisis centre are the most at risk drug users. It is the subject of concern that they find it impossible to access the prescribing service even though they are likely to be in greatest need. That supports the need for an effective multi-agency approach, which was outlined in recommendation 37 of the task force report.
I am pleased to note that drug action teams have been established in the various health board areas, including Glasgow, and will produce strategies by the end of September. That is, however, some time off and I want to see effective implementation of recommendation 21 of the task force report, which stated:
Future service development must be based on a systematic and comprehensive assessment of the nature, extent and distribution of need".Action is needed in some specific areas. I am well aware that throwing money at any problem, not least the problem of drugs, is not the answer. I am not advocating that, but additional funding is needed for some specific provisions, particularly detoxification and rehabilitation centres. Two centres are operating in the Greater Glasgow 254 health board area—Red towers at Helensburgh and the recently opened Phoenix house in Keppochill, Glasgow. They provide a service the success of which is beyond question, as does the Calton Athletic recovery group. That group has a rather unorthodox means of dealing with drug users, but one which has, by its record, shown itself to be effective. The success of those centres is not in question, but they could do more with greater funding. For instance, the Phoenix house rehabilitation centre at Keppochill is running at only 60 per cent. of capacity. a year after opening. With greater funding it could be running at 100 per cent. capacity and helping more people accordingly.I believe that the police need more dedicated drug squad officers to combat the ever-growing army of pushers and suppliers. In my experience drug-related offences are too often simply the responsibility of officers who are also dealing with car crime, assaults, house breaking and such crime. The police should be able to concentrate on drugs. I would like some form of rapid response group to be formed with responsibility for dealing with the suppliers identified by the public as well as drug-related crime. I have had discussions with Strathclyde police about the proposal, which I intend to continue, and I should be interested to hear the Minister's view on it. If the Minister has not prepared a response, perhaps he could let me know his view at a later date.
I believe that we must discuss whether the law needs to be re-examined with regard to the penalties for pushers and suppliers. I firmly believe that there should be a greater use of the charge of culpable homicide for those found to have supplied users who have subsequently died. That is particularly relevant in relation to some of the deaths that have occurred recently at raves and other dance clubs, where it is quite clear that some of the drugs offered for sale quite knowingly were lethal weapons.
Temazepam is a major factor in many of the drug deaths in the city. It is widely available, and it should be re-categorised from schedule 4 to 3 to allow prison sentences on conviction of possession. One of the points made to me by the Glasgow Association of Family Support Groups was that, if possible, Temazepam should be taken off the streets of Glasgow, and should certainly no longer be a prescribed drug.
I accept that the use of drugs is now so widespread that only containment is possible. It is not possible to eradicate drug abuse, and we must look at the problem in that setting. In the long term, some answers will flow from an economy that is more vibrant and gives people the opportunity for jobs, training and perhaps having a house and raising a family. There is a feeling of hopelessness among the young people I meet in Glasgow. I ask them why they get involved in the drugs scene, and their answer is, "Why not? What else do I have to look forward to?"
While it is a cliché, it is also a truism that people who have nothing, have nothing to lose. We must give people some reason not to get sucked into the drug culture. For too many young people in and around Glasgow, their hopes for a family and a job are non-existent. I am not trying to make party political points, because even with a change of Government we will remain a long way short of changing that bleak outlook. I hope that the Minister will offer some hope to the young people of Glasgow in his response.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland (Lord James Douglas-Hamilton)The hon. Member for Glasgow, Central (Mr. Watson) has spoken about the misery, chaos and death caused by this evil trade, and I agree that it must be combated in an effective manner and in the best way possible. I would be hesitant about naming the names of those whom the hon. Gentleman believes to be involved because, as he said, that could easily prejudice proceedings. But if he or any of his friends or acquaintances has evidence readily available, I would strongly recommend that it is handed to the police.
The hon. Gentleman spoke about a rapid response force. The police would argue that they have in place arrangements to that effect, but I shall follow up the hon. Gentleman's point. The hon. Gentleman will be aware of the Operation Eagle initiative, which will operate for a period of six months with two main phases, each of which will run for a period of 90 days. Strathclyde police have strengthened their force, and the number of front-line officers has risen by nearly 250 in recent times, and that makes a considerable difference.
The hon. Gentleman also raised the issue of Temazepam, and I can assure him that that is a matter of deep concern to the Government. My right hon. Friend the Lord President of the Council set out on 10 May immediate steps to be taken to reduce its misuse. That has been done by imposing safe custody controls on manufacturers and wholesalers under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, and by a proposal to ban the prescription of gel-filled capsules by general practitioners under the NHS. My right hon. Friend also confirmed that we are carefully considering the recommendation of the advisory council to reschedule Temazepam under the 1971 Act.
I can also confirm that consultation is now under way with a view to banning the prescribing of the gel-filled Temazepam capsules under the NHS. The consultation process will have two parts. The first stage was the issue of letters on 12 May to all manufacturers possessing product licences to supply Temazepam capsules, seeking comments on the proposal within 30 days. The next stage will begin shortly, with a more general public consultation.
Action has also been taken under section 11 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. I am glad to say that my noble and learned Friend the Minister of State will be meeting the hon. Gentleman and the Glasgow Association of Family Support Groups to discuss their concerns. We remain of the view that a public inquiry would add little to the information and knowledge currently available and is therefore not required.
Drug misuse is of immense concern to us all, be it central or local government, the health service, schools, local communities or indeed each one of us as individuals. It brings in its wake misery and despair, it devastates families, and it threatens communities. All too often it ends in death. In 1994 alone, drug misuse claimed the lives of 139 young people in Scotland who were known or suspected to be dependent upon drugs. That is an appalling statistic which graphically underlines why we regard drug misuse as one of the greatest challenges facing us today.
That is why public expenditure on drug misuse across a whole range of services—including the police, social work, education, urban aid, health and prisons—exceeds 256 £40 million every year. It is why, as I shall touch on later, we are absolutely determined to mount a fully integrated, co-ordinated and properly resourced assault on this evil scourge. The improved data now available and the new structures now in place at local and national levels will inform and facilitate the development of policy and the delivery of services.
The hon. Gentleman has properly focused on Glasgow from his constituency perspective, and I will respond to the detailed points that he has raised. But first I must mention that, conscious of the threat of drug misuse, in 1993 my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State set up a drugs task force under the chairmanship of my noble and learned Friend the Minister of State. We have also had the benefit of a comprehensive report from the Select Committee on Scottish Affairs. Taken together, the two reports provide a catalyst and a framework for a revitalised and informed response to the scourge of drug misuse to the end of the century and beyond.
The task force report emphasised the absolute importance of fully co-ordinated action against drug misuse; action which welded together the activities of all the agencies—statutory and non-statutory—into a synchronised and fully concerted approach, with common aims and objectives. Drug action teams—drawing together key personnel from the statutory and non-statutory bodies—have been set up in every health board area in Scotland. The teams are charged with organising and overseeing a corporate response to drug misuse in their areas. The teams began their work on 1 April and their first task will be to produce strategic plans for their areas by 1 October. We are funding the appointment of drug development officers to assist the teams in their work. They will be key figures, facilitating the implementation of the strategic plan and energising and co-ordinating drug-related work in their areas.
A crucial function of the teams will be to mobilise local action to confront drug misuse. I am increasingly impressed by the enormous reservoir of talent, energy and determination in the community which is willing to support action to turn the tide of drug misuse. We must tap that resource and harness community energy so that we deliver a powerful answer at local level to the threat of drug misuse. I commend the work of the local groups involved. To help stimulate local action, we are making available some £300,000 this year to fund innovative community-based schemes which respond to local circumstances, and I look to the drug action teams to submit imaginative proposals.
It is, of course, essential that resources are made available to facilitate the dynamic local response we are seeking to engender. In consequence, this year we are making available record resources of nearly £24 million to health boards to tackle drug misuse and HIV/AIDS. That is an enormous sum by any standards and it is evidence of our absolute commitment to meet drug misuse head on.
Schools have a vital role to play in the prevention effort. A sickening feature of the drugs scene is that increasingly younger age groups are being targeted by the dealers. We must respond to that by ensuring that, from an early age, our children are alerted to the dangers of drug misuse and that that awareness is maintained throughout their school careers. The task force identified a gap in the availability of materials for younger and older pupils and accordingly recommended that drug packages, 257 to complement Drugwise Too, should be developed, focusing on pupils under 10 and over 14 years. They will be ready shortly and will augment the range of materials available to teachers. All that will be complemented by public education campaigns, aimed at -maintaining the dangers of drug misuse and HIV/AIDS in the public consciousness.
Prevention will not by itself check drug misuse. We need effective services capable of tackling the whole spectrum of need. Encouraging progress is being made. I cite, for example, the crisis intervention centres in Glasgow and Edinburgh, which are invaluable assets in the panoply of services in those cities.
Substitute prescribing is an important ingredient of any range of service provision, but it is not a panacea and we have to create a framework in which it is delivered as part of a package of services tailored to the total needs of misusers and, where relevant, their families. We shall issue more specific guidance on substitute prescribing in due course, after consulting experts in the field.
In addition, the urban programme is very important. About 39 projects in Scotland dealing directly with drug misuse and representing funding of £3.7 million are currently being resourced in that way.
In Glasgow itself, 11 projects are at present being funded, at a cost of £1.4 million. Two further projects have been successful this year, completed at a cost of £250,000. I am glad to say that one of those was in Glasgow, with funding of £158,000, which is a welcome addition.
I should also say to the hon. Gentleman that it is worth noting for the future that detailed project selection will be done locally by authorities and their partners, in the framework of a regeneration strategy or programmes submitted to the Scottish Office. We are consulting local authorities and others about the way in which those changes will be implemented, for next year.
I now turn to Glasgow because all those measures are of relevance to Glasgow. The tragic consequences of drug misuse have time and again been demonstrated in the city. In 1994 alone, drug misuse claimed the lives of 72 young drug misusers in Greater Glasgow. That is an appalling waste, bringing grief and desolation to so many families, and I sympathise deeply with the families and friends who have been bereaved. Drugs can and do kill. The only safe answer is to avoid them at all costs.
The drug action team in Glasgow is now vigorously pressing ahead with the development of a strategic plan under the expert leadership of the Rev. Roderick 258 Campbell. I have no doubt that the team will bring a dynamic, innovative and strategic approach to the problems in Glasgow.
There is encouraging evidence of real progress, and I cite two examples. First, the Glasgow drug problem service, with its combination of counselling and treatment, is already making a substantial contribution. We are also giving Greater Glasgow health board almost £6 million this year specifically for drug misuse and for HIV/AIDS which, among a range of other initiatives, has enabled an expansion of the Glasgow drug problem service.
Secondly, the Glasgow drug crisis centre, which opened last October, is another valuable addition to the range of services available in the area, providing respite and care for misusers in crisis and in need of urgent attention. That is an excellent example of co-operation between the statutory and non-statutory sectors.
Injecting remains a serious problem, bringing with it, not only the risk of AIDS where needle sharing occurs, but death through overdosing. We have provided resources for nine needle and syringe schemes to be established in Glasgow, reducing the pressure to share needles and the risk of infection.
We stand ready to authorise further schemes where recommended. We are also considering recommendations by the task force and the Select Committee of how best the range of outlets for needles and syringes might be extended.
It is very important that we do everything possible to encourage young people to kick the habit of drug taking, as the only risk-free solution. Material communicating that message is being piloted by about 20 drug agencies in Glasgow, and an evaluation is under way. I am glad to say that the results so far are positive.
I hope that, by what I have said tonight, I can assure the hon. Gentleman that we are totally committed to turning the tide of drug misuse in Glasgow and throughout Scotland. Central Government will play their full part and more, but that alone will not suffice. What is required is a concerted, strategic yet targeted approach, which brings together the efforts of all the agencies, statutory and non-statutory. I believe that we now have the mechanisms in place, and that the drug action team will provide the catalyst for a sustained and committed response to drug misuse in Glasgow.
I cannot emphasise too strongly that we regard this as an evil trade, and we will stop at nothing to ensure that it is brought to an end. Young people should have a full and fulfilled life. Nothing should be allowed to stand in the way of that.
Question put and agreed to.
Adjourned accordingly at twenty-nine minutes past Ten o'clock.