HC Deb 30 June 1999 vol 334 c327
1. Mr. Brian Jenkins (Tamworth)

What progress has been made in the implementation of the Government's anti-drugs strategy. [87715]

The Minister of State, Northern Ireland Office (Mr. Adam Ingram)

For the past 12 months, a review team has been examining the current policy statement on drugs and has now devised, and recently agreed, a new drugs misuse strategy for Northern Ireland. This is ready to be published, but the timing of publication is dependent on progress towards devolution in Northern Ireland, as the new Assembly will have responsibility for this matter.

Mr Jenkins

I thank my right hon. Friend for that answer, but what measures have he and the Government taken to involve various sections of the community, in particular the business section, in that strategy programme?

Mr Ingram

I thank my hon. Friend for that question because the various sectors of the community are vital to producing any coherent and constructive policy to deal with the problem. I recently launched an initiative with the business community, which was well attended—there were more than 80 participants and there was a significant up-take from the business community in moving forward and dealing with that problem as it affects the workplace.

Rev. Martin Smyth (Belfast, South)

The right hon. Gentleman will remember his answer on that very subject at the previous Northern Ireland questions. After further reflection, and with his understanding of the drugs strategy that he is putting in place, does he think that, given the growing use of heroin in Northern Ireland, it is time for a change of tactics to deal with the problem? Will he welcome the recent move by the Royal Ulster Constabulary to put a mobile support unit in Ballymena to deal with it?

Mr. Ingram

We all recognise that there is a growing problem of heroin and hard drug misuse in Northern Ireland. A strategy has to deal with the reality that exists and with the possibility of that menace growing in the period ahead. The RUC is active in dealing with the problem. Of course it will constantly review how it tackles the problem, should it begin to manifest itself—hopefully, it will not—in the various communities in Northern Ireland. We are alert to that very real probability but we hope that we can tackle it in the way that we are setting forth in the strategy.