§ Mr. LawsTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he is planning to strengthen the capability of the Customs and Immigration Services to deal with trafficking in illegal drugs; and if he will make a statement. [77498]
§ Mr. Bob Ainsworth[holding answer 28 October 2002]: The Concerted Inter-agency Drug Action group comprises representatives of the National Crime Squad, the National Criminal Intelligence Service, the Association of Chief Police Officers, the security and intelligence agencies and a number of other relevant Departments and agencies (but not the Immigration Service), and is chaired by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise. It has developed a strategy for tackling supply of heroin and cocaine from source to street as part of the overall drug strategy, an update of which we intend to publish later this year.