§ Mr. SalmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what arrangements are in place for monitoring the use and effectiveness of methadone as a heroin substitute. [11271]
§ Mr. GalbraithArrangements for the delivery of substitute prescribing programmes, including monitoring the use and effectiveness of services, are a matter for local consideration in the first instance. The use and effectiveness of substitute prescribing programmes are issues addressed in new national guidance on drug misuse services which has been prepared by my department, discussed with the Scottish Advisory Committee on Drug Misuse, and is now the subject of wide consultation.
308WAn additional £1 million is being made available to health boards in this financial year to fund shared care arrangements for drug misusers, which will include monitoring and evaluation of projects.
§ Mr. SalmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the Government's policy on the use of methadone as a heroin substitute for heroin addicts in Scotland. [11270]
§ Mr. GalbraithSubstitute prescribing, including the use of methadone as a heroin substitute, is a method of harm reduction which has an important part to play in tackling drug misuse in Scotland. It needs to form part of a comprehensive package of care tailored to the individual needs of the drug misuser, which includes counselling and support and supervision of the taking of the drug, to prevent leakage onto the illicit market.
My Department is issuing detailed guidance on good practice in substitute prescribing to all GPs and relevant health professionals in Scotland.
§ Mr. SalmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the expenditure on the provision of methadone to heroin addicts(a) by health board and (b) in total for each of the last 10 years in Scotland. [11272]
§ Mr. GalbraithThe information by health board and Scotland for the financial years 1994–95 to 1996–97 is set out in the table.
The costs shown include the value of ingredients and the cost of fees paid to community pharmacists for dispensing the drug.
The information is not available in the form requested before 1994–95.
Cost of methadone prescribing: 1994–95 to 1996–97 Health board 1994–95 (£) 1995–96 (£) 1996–97 (£) Argyll and Clyde 100,617 142,918 206,117 Ayrshire and Arran 156,791 166,850 251,422 Borders 4,875 5,353 8,332 Dumfries and Galloway 31,710 48,304 53,417 Fife 30,591 59,354 86,943 Forth Valley 94,810 98,901 113,965 Grampian 186,454 264,363 269,263 Greater Glasgow 1,169,894 1,620,819 1,924,393 Highland 8,082 15,337 15,699 Lanarkshire 36,891 55,309 85,164 Lothian 435,881 533,992 631,033 Orkney 409 351 405 Shetland 96 1,390 1,712 Tayside 253,504 292,917 348,973 Western Isles 16 21 4 Scotland 2,510,621 3,306,179 3,996,832