§ Dr. CableTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what programmes and funding are being made available this year by the Government to provide education in schools on the dangers of drug abuse; and if he will indicate the respective contributions of his Department and the Department for Education and Employment. [37367]
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§ Mr. George HowarthThe National Curriculum sets out the minimum requirements for drugs education in schools. Beyond this, it is for individual schools to decide on their drugs education programmes in the light of their needs and circumstances.
The Department for Education and Employment is making £7 million of support available to all local education authorities in England in 1998–99, through the Standards Fund programme, to assist primary and secondary schools and the youth service to deliver effective education about drugs, including alcohol and tobacco. In addition, as part of its £1.9 million annual grants programme, the Home Office Drugs Prevention Initiative is supporting work in a limited number of schools in developing their drugs education programmes. The results of this work will be disseminated nationally over the course of this year.