HC Deb 27 October 1989 vol 158 cc635-6W
Mr. Redmond

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action his Department is taking over crack; how many seizures have been reported to date; what social background persons successfully prosecuted for using or handling this drug have come from; and if he is planning a prevention advertising campaign in the near future.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

We already have a comprehensive programme of action in place to tackle both the supply of and the demand for drugs. Many of the measures being taken or planned, will have an impact on the misuse of cocaine in the form known as crack. These include:

  • provision of drug-related assistance to Latin American countries, including a substantial package of training and equipment for Colombia;
  • specialist customs teams to combat cocaine smuggling; the stepping up of police action against the supply of crack and
  • the provision of a fact sheet on crack for drug education co-ordinators in every local education authority.

Some 75 seizures of crack were reported in the first nine months of 1989. Information is not available about the social background of persons prosecuted for offences involving crack.

The ministerial group on the misuse of drugs is considering plans for the next phase of the national drug misuse prevention campaign, which will be aimed at the misuse of all drugs. In addition my right hon. Friend the Member for Whitney (Mr. Hurd) recently announced plans for nine local drug prevention teams which will operate within the community and will help to prevent the spread of the misuse of drugs, including crack.

Mr. Sheerman

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he intends to publish research commissioned by his Department, on the amount of crime committed to finance drug addiction.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

It is usual practice for the authors of research commissioned by the Home Office to publish their findings. A summary of recent research on the links between drug misuse and crime was published in the Home Office Research Bulletin No. 26 (pp 30–33) on 8 May 1989. A copy was placed in the Library.