§ Mr. Haynesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if his Department is financing any local community schemes to combat solvent abuse.
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§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeNo, but many local community groups are tackling solvent abuse without the need for funding from the Department and we have offered to fund small studies of service responses to the problem. Consideration will be given to what further Government initiatives may be needed in the light of replies to consultation letters which we have sent to statutory, voluntary professional and retailers' organisations concerned.
§ Mr. Haynesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many deaths in 1981 and 1982 can be attributed to solvent abuse.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeExact figures of deaths associated with solvent abuse are not available, but 45 such deaths are known to have occurred in the United Kingdom in 1981 and 47 in 1982, with eight further reports still under investigation.