Drug-related Crime

HC Deb 12 July 2000 vol 353 cc604-5W

19. Mr. Sheerman

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what steps she is taking to better co-ordinate the Government's response to drug-related crime. [128667]

Mr. Ian McCartney

As Minister with overall responsibility for driving the Government's drug strategy, I am aware of a wide-range of anti-drug initiatives being pursued at both national and local level to meet the Government's target for tackling drug-related crime. These are outlined in the UK Anti-Drugs Co-ordinator's First Annual Report and National Plan.

Among more recent initiatives being pursued are: Proposals to extend drug testing across the criminal justice system to identify offenders who are committing crime in order to buy drugs. The national roll-out of the Drug Treatment and Testing Orders to direct offenders towards treatment. The allocation of £20 million in a joint funding initiative with the police to accelerate the development of arrest referral schemes to get drug misusing offenders into treatment. £1.8 million has been spent on anti-drugs initiatives by the Kirklees Drug Action Team in the last financial year.