§ Mr. Alfred MorrisTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what new strategies he intends to promote to tackle drug problems in Greater Manchester.
§ Mr. JackThe Government's overall strategy for tackling drug misuse is aimed at reducing both the supply of and the demand for drugs throughout the United Kingdom.
Local drugs prevention teams have been set up in both Manchester and Salford under the Home Office drugs prevention initiative, and they will continue to work with the local community in finding effective ways of preventing the spread of drug misuse.
Greater Manchester, like other areas, will also benefit from other aspects of the Government's drug strategy such as the assistance we are providing to other countries to help reduce the supply of drugs into this country and the tougher controls which we are introducing on precursor and essential chemicals.
At the national level, we are committed to bringing forward proposals to ensure that the control of drug misuse is co-ordinated effectively, and the Criminal Justice Bill which we hope to bring before the House shortly, further tightens the law on drug trafficking and money laundering.