§ 22. Mr. MartlewTo ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what plans he has to inform hon. Members of the problems created by drug misuse in the United Kingdom. [58937]
§ Dr. Jack CunninghamThe UK Anti-Drugs Co-ordinator will present to me in the spring his first Annual Report and Plan of Action against Drug Misuse. This will include a progress report on the strategyTackling Drugs To Build a Better Britain which was launched in April. His findings and priorities for action will be made available in the Library.
§ 23. Mrs. Ann WintertonTo ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will make a statement on progress in the Government's anti-drug strategy following the appointment of the anti-drugs co-ordinator. [58938]
§ Dr. Jack CunninghamThe Government's anti-drugs strategyTackling Drugs to Build a Better Britain published in April this year established a framework for action over the next 10 years. The long term targets are to reduce drug misuse by young people, to reduce drug-related crime, to increase participation in drug treatment and to reduce the availability of drugs. Specific short and medium term targets will be in place by March 1999. Locally, Drug Action Teams are now drawing up action plans for 1999–2000. The UK Anti-Drugs Co-ordinator will assess progress and report annually to Government starting in March 1999.
In September 1998, following the Government's Comprehensive Spending Review, the Government announced £217 million additional funding over the next 3 years for anti-drugs activities.
§ 25. Mr. MacShaneTo ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what steps he is taking to ensure greater action against drugs by public authorities acting at community level. [58940]
§ Dr. Jack CunninghamDrug Action Teams are responsible for co-ordinating action against drugs at local level. They are drawing up local action plans to meet the objectives in the anti-drugs strategyTackling Drugs to Build a Better Britain which are required to be with the UK Anti-Drugs Co-ordinator by 31 December. The 601W Government will provide £15 million over the next three years to support Drug Action Teams in their Co-ordination function, an increase of £1.5 million per annum.
§ Mrs. Ann WintertonTo ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what additional measures have been put in place to assist pro-active drug enforcement measures at points of entry; and if he will make a statement. [58854]
§ Dr. Jack CunninghamCustoms together with other relevant enforcement agencies are currently reviewing their drugs enforcement policies and operational priorities in the light of the aims and objectives outlined in the Government's anti-drugs strategyTackling Drugs to Build a Better Britain launched in April 1998. The UK Anti-Drugs Co-ordinator will be taking account of departments' forward plans in presenting his Annual Report and Plan of Action against drugs to Government.
£ million Additional funding 1999–2000 2000–2001 2001–2002 PSS (purchase of community care services) 3 5 12.5 NHS: Health Authorities drug misuse special allocation Comprehensive provision for treatment of problem drug 12 18 20 between prisons and community 20 20 20 Voluntary Drug Testing in prison 2 5 5 Piloting of Drug Treatment and Testing Orders followed by comprehensive implementation subject to evaluation 1 20 40 Education and Prevention 1 1 1 Note:
£10.5 million of the total £217 million and not shown in the table is for research and support for local co-ordination for Drug Action Teams
§ Mrs. Ann WintertonTo ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) what strategies have been put in place since 15 October 1997 to support local projects involving(a) police, (b) local government, (c) schools and (d) businesses aimed at curbing the activities of dealers in illegal drugs; [58857]
(2) what additional measures have been put in place since the appointment of the Government's Anti-Drugs Co-ordinator to combat the (a) importation, (b) trade in and (c) use of illegal drugs; and if he will make a statement. [58858]
§ Dr. Jack CunninghamThe Government's anti-drugs strategy "Tackling Drugs Together to Build a Better Britain" published in April this year established a framework for action over the next 10 years. The priorities in 1998–99 relate to developing the Key Performance Indicators which will measure progress in future years against the objectives outlined in the strategy. Drug Action Teams are undertaking work which will form the basis for action in 1999–2000 and following years to implement the strategy at a local level.
§ Mrs. Ann WintertonTo ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what proportion of the extra1 resources for the drug misuse budget is made up of assets seized from drug dealers following conviction for drugs trafficking. [58851]
§ Dr. Jack CunninghamIn the White Paper "Tackling Drugs to Build a Better Britain", we announced that a proportion of assets seized from drug traffickers will be channelled back into anti-drugs programmes. Officials in the Cabinet Office, the Treasury, the Home Office and
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§ Mrs. Ann WintertonTo ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) what level of funding is to be made available in 1998–99 on prevention and treatment services for drug misuse; and how much is planned to be spent on these services in each of the next three years; [58868]
(2) what proportion of the extra resources for the drug misuse budget are designated for (a) drug rehabilitation programmes, (b) education programmes, (c) treatment in long-stay centres and (d) prisons programmes. [58869]
§ Dr. Jack CunninghamThe Government's Comprehensive Spending Review on drugs found that in 1997–98, of the £1.4 billion total estimated expenditure on anti-drugs activities, 12 per cent was spent on prevention (including education) and 13 per cent was spent on treatment and rehabilitation. Similar levels of expenditure are expected in 1998–99. Additional funding available for three years from 1999–2000 is outlined in the table.
other relevant departments are presently considering how this can best be achieved. The Government expect to make an announcement later this year about the amount available for the financial year 1999–2000, and the criteria on which it is to be distributed.
The additional resources of £217 million made available under the Comprehensive Spending Review do not include assets recovered from drug traffickers.
§ Mrs. Ann WintertonTo ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many programmes to educate young people in the dangers of illegal drugs have been initiated since 15 October 1997. [58856]
§ Dr. Jack CunninghamThe Government have continued to support a range of existing drug education programmes through, for example, the Department of Health's contract with the Health Education Authority, the Department for Education and Employment's Standards Fund and the Home Office Drugs Prevention initiative.
The Government published their 10 year anti-drugs strategy in April following a review of all action to tackle drug misuse by the UK Anti-Drugs Co-ordinator. Education is an essential part, and all future anti-drugs activity and expenditure by the Government are being developed in accordance with this strategy. A total of £19.5 million per year will help to support the development of effective programmes across the country.
§ Mrs. Ann WintertonTo ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what additional measures have been put in place to bring about a reduction in the international supply of illegal drugs; and if he will make a statement. [58852]
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§ Dr. Jack CunninghamReducing the availability of illegal drugs on our streets is one of the key objectives of the Government's strategy for tackling drugs misuse.
International effort aims to reduce the flow of illegal drugs to the UK by reducing production of illegal drugs, improving the effectiveness of efforts to control the trade in illegal drugs and the chemical precursors used in their manufacture, and targeting drugs profits through effective international action against money laundering.
Resources are targeted at the key producer and transit countries for drugs reaching the UK: in particular the Caribbean, Latin America, South West and Central Asia, and South Eastern Europe.
§ Mr. KidneyTo ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will make a statement on the increase in drug misuse in rural areas. [59765]
§ Dr. Jack CunninghamThe Government take seriously any report that indicates drug misuse problems in rural communities. Accordingly, the Home Office Drugs Prevention Initiative has commissioned further research to inform drug prevention action in rural areas.
§ Mr. KidneyTo ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) if his Department will allocate funds specifically for tackling drug misuse in rural areas; [59766]
(2) what consideration will be given to the particular circumstances of rural communities in the implementation of the cross-departmental review of illegal drugs. [59764]
§ Dr. Jack CunninghamThe UK Anti-Drugs strategy launched in April seeks to address the needs of both rural and urban communities. In September, I announced substantial additional funding of £217 million over the next three years, following the Drugs Comprehensive Spending Review to deal specifically with drug misuse issues. Drug Action Teams are responsible for tackling drug misuse locally and must determine local needs and spending priorities.
§ Mr. David TaylorTo ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what further support is planned for the work of the drug action teams following the provision of extra resources within the Comprehensive Spending Review. [58982]
§ Dr. Jack CunninghamOf the £217 million additional funding for anti-drugs activities provided as a result of the Comprehensive Spending Review, £1.5 million over three years is to support the local coordination function of Drug Action Teams. The total central government support for local co-ordination by Drug Action Teams will be £15 million during the financial years 1999 to 2002. The Government are considering the views of Drug Action Teams on the allocation of this funding. Decisions will be announced later this month.