§ 7. Mr. Ben ChapmanIf he will list the drug rehabilitation establishments which the Under Secretary with responsibility has visited since 1 May. [20163]
§ Mr. George HowarthI have made visits to look at drug prevention programmes, rehabilitation programmes and various forms of treatment, both in the community and within the criminal justice system. In that context, I have visited Prison Service establishments with drug treatment programmes at Lindholme, Moorland, Lancaster, Channings Wood, Wetherby and Liverpool; probation initiatives in Plymouth, Bristol and Merseyside; several drug prevention initiative supported projects in Derby, West Yorkshire, Tower Hamlets and East Sussex; a voluntary initiative run by Cranstoun Drug Services in Wimbledon; and an arrest referral scheme in Oxford. As a result, I believe that there are many useful ways of reducing the demand for drugs and, at the same time, using the criminal justice system creatively to break the link between crime and drugs.
§ Mr. ChapmanI thank my hon. Friend the Minister for that response. Does he agree that there is a clear correlation between drug misuse and crime and that one way of tackling that is through the treatment of offenders? Does he also agree that the provisions in the Crime and Disorder Bill and the appointment of an anti-drugs co-ordinator show how serious is the intent of the Government to tackle the issue?
§ Mr. HowarthMy hon. Friend is right, in that there is a growing body of evidence of a strong link between drugs and crime. On Friday last week, I was talking to a couple of people who were receiving treatment while on bail as part of probation arrangements that offer an opportunity to deal with such people. We have made a start by appointing the UK Anti-Drugs Co-ordinator, Keith Hellawell, and his deputy Mike Trace; and there are provisions, particularly for treatment and testing orders, in the Crime and Disorder Bill. We are determined to use every possible opportunity within the criminal justice system to tackle the growing problem in a creative and helpful way.
§ Mr. EvansWill the Minister send his condolences to the families of those who have lost loved ones in 1997, because of the menace of drugs? Will he send his thanks to those who painstakingly work with drug addicts 648 to rehabilitate them? Finally, will he condemn The Independent on Sunday for its irresponsible campaign to decriminalise cannabis in this country? It is a gateway drug, whose use might lead to people moving on to far harder drugs—although the message should be communicated that cannabis itself is a serious drug and extremely damaging to those who take it.
§ Mr. HowarthThe hon. Gentleman is right. Obviously, I would join him in sending condolences to all the families that have lost relatives as a result of drug misuse—and I would also send condolences to the families that have been wrecked by the things that occur when people become involved in drugs. Of course, we join the hon. Gentleman in sending our best wishes to those who do the difficult job of working with drug misusers, voluntarily or through the criminal justice system.
The obsession of The Independent on Sunday with the subject of decriminalising cannabis is irresponsible. I am sad to say that it reflects a concern on the part of the chattering classes, which is often an apology for their own use rather than their having anything constructive to say about current drugs policy.