§ Mr. Mike O'BrienTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the cost to his Department of participation in CELAD since 1989; what practical proposals have come from this committee; and what is his analysis of its effectiveness in combating international drugs trafficking.
§ Mr. JackThe full cost of Home Office participation in CELAD is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The travel and subsistence cost of Home Office officials' attendance at the 29 CELAD meetings since 1989 is in the region of £28,000. The cost of hosting the three CELAD meetings in London during the United Kingdom presidency was £135,595.
The practical proposals made by CELAD since its inception include the preparation and implementation of an EC-wide action plan on measures to combat drug misuse, the establishment of a European drugs monitoring centre and the European Drugs Prevention Week (16 to 22 November 1992).
CELAD has not been directly involved in developing measures to combat international drug trafficking. Within the European Community, this is mainly the responsibility of the Trevi group, the customs mutual assistance group and the enforcement agencies of member states. CELAD has, however, helped to develop a coherent Community strategy to combat drug misuse, which has included proposals to combat trafficking.