HC Deb 13 July 1989 vol 156 cc634-5W
9. Mr. Hayes

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress is being made towards further bilateral treaties to provide for the confiscation of the assets of drug traffickers.

Mr. Hurd

I have this week agreed on the need for early progress towards a confiscation agreement with the Interior Minister of Pakistan. We have already signed bilateral agreements with the United States of America, Canada, the Bahamas, Australia, Switzerland and, in the last few weeks, Spain, and have concluded similar arrangements with Bermuda. Discussions are also in progress with West Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Jamaica, Malaysia, Sweden andGuyana, and we expect further agreements soon.

54. Mr. Gerald Bowden

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action his Department is taking against the threat to this country from cocaine and crack.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Bosworth (Mr. Tredinnick) on 15 June 1989 at column1113.

55. Mr. Butler

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many seizures of cocaine have been made in the Merseyside area this year; and in how many cases crack was found to be present.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

Merseyside police have made eight seizures of cocaine in the period January-May 1989. One of these seizures has been confirmed as being in the form of crack.

51. Mr. Watts

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the work of the ministerial group on the misuse of drugs.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Derbyshire, West (Mr. McLoughlin) on 21 April at column517. The ministerial group is next due to meet on 26 July, under the chairmanship of my right hon. Friend, when particular attention will be given to the threat to this country from cocaine and crack.

33. Mr. Patrick Thompson

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received about drug abuse among young people; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

We receive a steady stream of representations from hon. Members and members of the public about drug abuse among young people. We take a very serious view of the problem of drug misuse and have developed a comprehensive strategy set out in "Tackling Drug Misuse" a copy of which is in the Library. A number of measures under the strategy—for example, drug education in schools—are aimed specifically at young people.

21. Mr. Colin Shepherd

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what further steps he is taking to enhance international co-operation in respect of the trafficking in drugs in the light of the forthcoming European single market.

Mr. Hurd

In my contacts with our European partners I stress the need for early ratification by all countries of the 1988 United Nations convention against the illicit traffic in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances. We shall maintain the frontier checks necessary to control drug trafficking and promote closer international co-operation between law enforcement agencies.