§ 45. Mr. Teddy TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress is being made in the campaign against drug abuse; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggThe Goernment's strategy is to tackle drug misuse by a number of measures aimed at reducing both the supply of and the demand for drugs.
In furtherance of the strategy, we are working through the United Nations, the Council of Europe's Pompidou group and bilaterally to strengthen international 509W co-operation against drug trafficking. We have given the police and Customs services substantial new resources to enable them to seize increased amounts of drugs. We have passed the Drug Trafficking Offences Act 1986, under which some £11 million of drug traffickers' assets has been ordered to be confiscated. Prevention, publicity and education are being stepped up, while funds for the expansion of drug misuse treatment and rehabilitation services have been increased to some £17.5 million in 1989–90.