§ Mr. Amessasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is now able to announce the Government's response to the report of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs on the security of controlled drugs.
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§ Mr. HurdYes. The Government very much welcome this report and are grateful to the council for the thorough manner in which it carried out its review of this important topic.
Work on the report began in 1981, prompted by growing concern over the theft of controlled drugs. The report, which was published in November 1983, examined the adequacy of the security arrangements for the production, carriage, storage and supply of licit controlled drugs, concentrating mainly on those most at risk, including manufacturers, wholesalers, community pharmacists, practitioners and hospitals.
The report made a number of recommendations for improving security. The Government have examined these very carefully in the light of widespread consultations with trade and professional organisations and of its other priorities within the overall strategy for tackling drug misuse. As a result of the report we shall be taking action to: (i) encourage the police to make greater use of their powers to exempt pharmacies from present statutory arrangements were adequate non-standard security precautions are taken; (ii) issue revised guidelines to NHS hospitals; (iii) carry out a review by the Home Office drugs inspectorate of the security arrangements at premises of persons and organisations licensed to possess, supply or manufacture controlled drugs; (iv) implement a range of detailed recommendations in the report.
The report also recommended that, for retail pharmacies and dispensing practices, the existing detailed statutory security requirements should be replaced by flexible guidelines adaptable to the needs of individual premises but subject to police agreement and, if necessary, to Home Office arbitration and enforcement; and that enforceable new guidelines on security should be issued to hospitals and the transporters of controlled drugs. In considering these recommendations, the Government have taken account of the change in circumstances since the preparation of the report, in particular that the threat to licit stocks now appears less severe. We have concluded that we would not be justified in giving priority at present to full implementation of these recommendations. However, we urge all doctors and pharmacists, when assessing the adequacy of their security arrangements, to take account of the advisory council's recommendations, and we shall continue to keep under close review the risk of theft or diversion from licit stocks.