§ 26. Mr. WrayTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what measures he has taken in order to reduce the crime rate, the increase in drug addiction and the number of drug-related deaths.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonThe Government have in place a range of measures aimed at reducing both the supply of, and the demand for, drugs. These measures seek to tackle the problem on a number of fronts, including enforcement of the laws against trafficking and misuse of drugs; prevention and education; and treatment and rehabilitation. The drugs task force led by my noble and learned Friend the Minister of State is currently reviewing what is being done and considering what further steps might be taken.
More broadly, the Government continue to seek to develop initiatives to prevent and deal with crime. Our new crime prevention strategy launched in November 1992 provides a framework within which action to prevent crime can be taken forward. It is encouraging that recorded crime in Scotland fell slightly in 1992 and recent reports from Scottish police forces have indicated that the trend towards lower crime figures continued in 1993.