§ Mr. DarlingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will detail the steps taken by his Department to implement the recommendations contained in paragraph 9.66 of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission report on opium derivatives, Cm. 630, published in 1988.
§ Mr. John PattenThe attention of the European Commission and our EC partners has been drawn to the need to develop a common policy with regard to the licit trade in controlled drugs and in particular trade in opium derivatives, as recommended by the Monopolies and Mergers Commission. The matter has been raised at meetings of the European Committee Against Drugs (CELAD) and is currently being taken forward by the Commission in discussion with member states.