§ Mr. Tom Coxasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what help his Department is giving to education authorities to help combat the problem caused by young people taking drugs.
§ Mr. DunnThe Department is playing its part in the Ministerial group which has been set up to lead the Government's broad-based initiative against drug misuse. The group is urgently considering what measures are needed, and is giving attention among other matters to the provision of suitable educational materials. Further announcements will be made about their proposals.
914WAs to action already in hand, a number of relevant HMI short courses and DES/regional courses for which the Department provides grants will be held this year and next. HMI are paying particular attention in their current inspection programme to the awareness of schools to drug problems in their areas and their ability to respond to them.
More generally, my right hon. Friend is aware that there is already a great deal of very worthwhile activity taking place in LEAs, and we are anxious to build on this. In June of this year we sent a copy of the "Prevention" report of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs to every chief education officer and to other educational bodies, and the Department is currently receiving their views on the questions it raises.