§ Mr. WareingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the value of assets seized under the Drug Trafficking Offences Act 1986 by Merseyside police; if he will consider making such amounts available for drugs education and training by Merseyside police; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Maclean[holding answer 3 March 1995]: Returns from magistrates courts for the Merseyside area show that between April 1989 and March 1994, the following sums were remitted to the Secretary of State under the Drug Trafficking Offences Act 1986:
Year £ 1989–90 4,561.20 1990–91 71,473.39 1991–92 175,101.43 1992–93 192,410.21 1993–94 106,646.99 Total 550,193.22 I have no plans to change existing arrangements under which confiscated money is treated in the same way as fine revenue and paid directly into the consolidated fund from which Government expenditure generally—including substantial support for drug-related work—is financed. Approximately £500 million is spent each year on supporting our drugs strategy, including local drug education programmes. Investigations into drug trafficking and the prosecution and conviction of offenders and the confiscation of drugs proceeds involve the police, the courts, the Crown Prosecution Service and HM Customs and Excise, all of whom devote considerable resources to this area.