§ Mr. ClappisonTo ask the President of the Council how much is to be spent in 1998–99 on prevention and treatment services for drug abuse; and how much is planned to be spent on these services in each of the next three years. [51117]
§ Mrs. Ann TaylorFigures for 1998–99 could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The figures available, as collected for the Government's Comprehensive Spending Review, relate to 1997–98. In that year, expenditure on drugs prevention and education is estimated to have totalled £50 million. This included central Departments' funding and a proportion of teacher time spent on drugs education in the classroom. Funding for treatment interventions, relating primarily to health and social services projects, and anti-drugs initiatives in the Prison Service, is estimated to have amounted to £103 million. In the same year, expenditure on international supply reduction, including HM Customs and Excise, is estimated to have amounted to £153 million; and on proactive drugs enforcement, £77 million.
On 14 July, we announced that extra resources, amounting to £188 million in total up to 2001–02, will be made available to fund proactive work to tackle drug misuse under the anti-drugs strategy. Details of the breakdown of this expenditure will be announced in due course.