§ Mr. LawsTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the reasons why the Somerset Drugs Service has stopped providing drug rehabilitation support for drug addicts in the Yeovil constituency other than for pregnant women and suicide risks; and what assessment he has made of the effects of this decision on levels of crime. [147416]
§ Caroline Flint[holding answer 14 January 2004]The Government have provided the Somerset Drug Action Team (DAT) with substantially increased funds in order to reduce waiting times for admission to treatment in the county. This year Somerset Drugs Service (SDS), one of the service providers, had their budget increased by £200,950 to £1,763,214. Following the consequent increase in availability of treatment there has been a substantial increase in those seeking treatment. In quarter 2 of 2002 SDS had 287 active clients of whom 74 were in Yeovil; in quarter 2 of 2003 SDS had 426 active clients of whom 146 were in Yeovil representing almost a 100 per cent. increase in demand in the town in the space of a year. Such dramatic increases have put some short-term pressure on budgets, which has temporarily prevented waiting times being reduced as quickly as originally anticipated. However no one who needs it will be denied treatment. All those presenting for treatment continue to be to prioritised according to assessed need and the risk of harm to self and to the community.
In order to continue to expand the service to drug users and provide the most effective treatment in the face of increasing demand the DAT commissioned a strategic review from Oxford Brookes University of the whole of its adult drug treatment system. The results of this review are being considered at a meeting on 13 January. In addition to £35,000 allocated this financial year, from April, the DAT has been allocated an extra £284,462 from the Governments Criminal Justice Intervention Programme Throughcare and Aftercare Budget. These increases will ensure that treatment provision continues to improve by assisting the DAT and implement the recommendations of its strategic review.
As a result of targeting prolific offenders and making rapid treatment available to them, where necessary, the county has seen significant falls in rates of burglary over the first three quarters of this financial year when compared to the same period last year.