§ Mr. Arthur Lathamasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) when the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs will meet to consider the recommendations of the Cannabis Working Group and the Legal and Administrative Committee on possible changes in the law relating to cannabis; and if he will make their advice public;
(2) what recommendations were made by the Cannabis Working Group and the Legal and Administrative Committee of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs to the full council when they last met to consider possible changes in the law relating to cannabis.
§ Dr. SummerskillThe Cannabis Working Group recommended to the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs that the law should be amended so that it would no longer be possible for a person to be sentenced to imprisonment on summary conviction of an offence of possession of cannabis or cannabis resin if he had no previous conviction of a drugs offence. The Legal and Administrative Working Group drew attention to the legal implications of such a course. The council is to meet again on 13th June and when my right hon. Friend has received its final advice he will make it public.