HC Deb 12 January 1998 vol 304 c68W
Mr. Clappison

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he plans to promote(a) drug courts and (b) the sponsorship of drug courts. [22720]

Mr. George Howarth

The Crime and Disorder Bill will allow courts to impose a drug treatment and testing order which will have some of the features of the drug court systems found in America. It will give courts the power to require drug misusing offenders to undergo treatment and will provide for the use of drug testing to enable the courts to monitor the progress of offenders at review hearings. We have no plans for commercial sponsorship of this initiative.