§ Mr. HansonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what is Her Majesty's Government's national strategy for the prevention of volatile substance and solvent abuse for 1993–94.
§ Dr. MawhinneyThe Government's strategy against drug misuse was set out in "Tackling Drug Misuse: A Summary of the Government's Strategy" and "UK Action on Drug Misuse—The Government's Strategy", copies of which are available in the Library. The Government will continue to take action to prevent volatile substance abuse in the context of that overall strategy. The prevention working group of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs is currently examining issues relating to volatile substance abuse and will make recommendations to Ministers in due course.
§ Mr. HansonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what is Her Majesty's Government's financial commitment to volatile substance and solvent abuse prevention in 1993–94; and how much of this figure is represented by payments to voluntary organisations.
§ Dr. MawhinneyAction to prevent volatile substance abuse is one element of a number of central Department programmes, including programmes of support for voluntary organisations. Expenditure on the volatile substance abuse prevention elements of these programmes cannot be separately identified. The national curriculum requires all maintained schools in England and Wales to provide some education about the misuse of drugs and other substances. Health and local authorities are responsible for assessing the needs of their resident population and for providing services to meet those needs, including services for the prevention of volatile substance abuse.
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