§ Mr. CummingsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to extend drug and alcohol addiction advice centres.
§ Mr. DorrellThe provision of local services to advise drug and alcohol misusers is a local responsibility. The Government's objective is to ensure that a comprehensive and integrated network of appropriate services is established to help these clients, and to this end has provided the following assistance to local agencies active in this field
since 1986–87, regional health authorities have received additional allocations rising to nearly £16.5 million in 1991–92 for the expansion of services for drug misusers including HIV prevention aspects. This builds upon the network of local services set up by the central funding initiative which made available £17.5 million for 188 local drug projects between 1983 and 1989;£4 million has been allocated to the national voluntary organisation Alcohol Concern for the three years starting in 1990–91, for disbursement to local voluntary organisations to support the improvement and expansion of alcohol advisory and counselling services;397Wawards totalling £1.4 million have been made to local authorities under the alcohol and drugs specific grant introduced by the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990. This grant will support expenditure of £2 million in 1991–92. The specific grant is available to local authorities to support voluntary sector organisations providing services for alcohol and drug misusers. This grant should help local authorities prepare for the new responsibilities placed upon them by the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990;grants are made to help meet the national headquarters expenses of Alcohol Concern, the Standing Conference on Drug Abuse and Turning Point, all of which support local agencies providing advice for alcohol and/or drug misusers.