§ 41. Mr. John GreenwayTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what international measures are in hand to combat the drugs trade.
§ Mr. SainsburySome 90 states, including the United Kingdom, have now signed the 1988 United Nations 693W convention against illicit traffic in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs recently addressed a United Nations special session on drugs in New York, which adopted a political declaration and a global programme of action. We will host a world ministerial summit in London in April to look at ways of reducing the demand for drugs and combating the cocaine threat. Within Europe, anti-drugs co-operation takes place in a number of fora, notably with our European Community partners and within the Pompidou group, which the United Kingdom chairs. The United Kingdom has played an active part in the work of the financial action task force set up by the Paris economic summit to consider measures to combat money laundering.
§ 56. Mr. Roger KingTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what part Britain is playing in international efforts to defeat the drugs trade.
§ Mr. SainsburyThe British Government will host a world ministerial summit in London in April to look at ways of reducing the demand for drugs and combating the cocaine threat. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs addressed a United Nations special session on drugs in New York. The United Kingdom is one of some 90 states to have signed the United Nations convention against illicit traffic in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances. We have signed bilateral agreements or arrangements to trace, freeze and confiscate the proceeds of drug trafficking with 13 countries. We co-operate closely with our European neighbours in a number of fora, and have played an active part in the work of the financial action task force set up by the Paris economic summit to consider measures to combat money laundering.