§ Mr. Bestasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, pursuant to the answer of 14 July, Official Report, c. 446, he will list the specific steps taken by his Department, research sponsored, and seminars supported to assist voluntary agencies in dealing with solvent abuse.
§ Mr. John PattenSteps taken by the Department in dealing with solvent abuse were described in that answer. The publications mentioned areHealth Trends published by DHSS May 1982, which includes an articles on Misuse of Solvents; Human Toxicology published by Macmillan Press Ltd., July 1982, which is devoted entirely to the proceedings of a seminar organised by the national poisons 663W information service and co-sponsored by DHSS; and the article "Under the Influence" in the Nursing Times of 22–29 June 1983.
Information about research into solvent abuse funded by the Department was given in my reply to my hon. Friend on 28 July 1983.
In addition to the seminar already referred to, seminars on solvent abuse organised by the Birmingham advisory committee on solvent abuse in October 1982 and by the National Children's Bureau in February 1983 were partly funded by my Department.
§ Mr. Bestasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list, pursuant to the answer of 14 July, Official Report, c. 446, the statutory and voluntary bodies, professions and retailers recently consulted by the Department about the best ways of combating solvent abuse.
§ Mr. John PattenThe list of those consulted are attached to the copies of the consultation letters deposited in the Library.
§ Mr. Bestasked the Secretary of State for Social Services when the book on solvent abuse referred to on 26 October 1982, Official Report, c. 1016 will be published.
§ Mr. John Patten1984.
§ Mr. Bestasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to ascertain the nature and extent of solvent abuse from hospitals, police forces, education authorities and other bodies involved with young people.
§ Mr. John PattenThere are considerable practical difficulties in systematically collecting reliable information on the nature and extent of solvent abuse. For example, solvent abuse is not included as a separate category in the international classification of diseases, and the practice is not per se a criminal offence. The Government have encouraged local agencies and parents to get together to assess the problem in their own areas and to tailor their response accordingly. The Department's offer to consider applications for funds for studies of prevalence of solvent misuse remains open.
§ Mr. Bestasked the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to the answer of 6 July, Official Report, c. 128, what criteria he applies in deciding whether to fund studies of prevalence of solvent abuse; and what general information he is seeking through such studies.
§ Mr. John PattenI have arranged for a copy of the statement of DHSS customer requirements for studies into solvent abuse to be deposited in the Library. In addition, funding decisions depend on the Department's scientific advisers and external referees being satisfied that a proposed study is of sufficient scientific merit, and on priority in relation to other current demands on the research budget.
§ Mr. Michael McNair-Wilsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether, pursuant to his reply of 14 July, Official Report, c. 446, about solvent misuse, he will explain the purposes of the proposed training film for professionals.
§ Mr. John PattenThe film, which will be accompanied by discussion notes, is intended by conveying information and stimulating discussion, to help664W and encourage professionals such as doctors, social and youth workers, police and probation officers and teachers to use their existing abilities and skills, and to understand the parts which other professionals can play, in the local network preventing and responding to solvent misuse problems.