HL Deb 21 May 1985 vol 464 cc157-8

2.49 p.m.

Lord Rodney

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will make a statement on the recent visit to the USA by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Home Office to study drug abuse.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord Glenarthur)

My Lords, my honourable friend visited the United States of America from 7th to 14th April. He had a series of meetings with representatives of several federal departments and agencies and with other organisations and individuals. His discussions focused on enforcement issues, including the forfeiture of drug traffickers' assets, American experience of the cocaine problem and international aspects. The visit was valuable both in identifying matters of common interest and in highlighting developments of potential significance for this country.

Lord Rodney

My Lords, I should like to thank my noble friend for that Answer. May I ask him whether he can enlarge on one or two of the more important points that his honourable friend learnt during his visit to the United States, in particular with regard to the cocaine problem there?

Lord Glenarthur

My Lords, I think that my honourable friend learnt too much perhaps for me to encompass in one fairly brief reply, but I know that he found particularly valuable his discussions about cocaine and about the tracing, seizure and forfeiture of assets. Cocaine poses a very grave threat to this country. Last autumn the Customs established a cocaine target team to step up the fight against drug smuggling, and we are also examining the case for posting liaison officers to Latin America to improve liaison and intelligence. I can tell my noble friend that the rise in cocaine misuse in the United States over recent years has been fairly dramatic.

Lord Ennals

My Lords, after what was obviously an extremely useful visit to the United States by his honourable friend, can the Minister say anything about what was learnt of the problems of treatment centres in the United States for drug abusers and also what sort of campaign he may have heard about, especially to educate youngsters against this grave danger?

Lord Glenarthur

My Lords, treatment was certainly one of the aspects that my honourable friend discussed in America. I think that there are some similarities between the way that we carry out treatment and the way that they carry out treatment there. The lessons learnt by my honourable friend will of course be put to the group now considering the matter in conjunction with the Minister in the Health Department.

Lord Auckland

My Lords, bearing in mind the number of tourists visiting both this country and America, can my noble friend say whether our embassy in Washington and the American embassy in this country are communicating about the problem?

Lord Glenarthur

My Lords, I am certain that they are.