§ Mrs. Ann WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the level of liaison which exists between the boroughs of London in co-ordinating an effective strategy to combat drugs misuse; and if he will make a statement. [47341]
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§ Ms JowellThe Greater London Association of Directors of Social Services have, since 1993, co-ordinated a subgroup—the Greater London Drug and Alcohol Purchasers Group—for all directors of social services in London to discuss substance misuse issues.
The Greater London Drug and Alcohol Purchasers Group meets regularly with the Inner London Purchasers of Substance Misuse Services, which represents health authorities. This forum, known as the London Drug and Alcohol Purchasers Group, aims to ensure consistency in approaches to the treatment and prevention of drug misuse. The aim of the group is to standardise policies on pricing, treatment programmes and quality standards. It meets regularly with the London Drug Services Consortium, which represents the interests of voluntary and private sector providers of drug services in the London area.
In addition, the London Drug Policy Forum encourages joint working between these groups, the police, the probation and prison services and all those working in the provision of services for drug misusers. For example, it organises regular meetings for chairs of London drug action teams, and has recently produced a guide for local authorities on their role in tackling drugs misuse "Drugs in the Community—what local authorities can do".
All these groups are currently reviewing how they can work together more effectively to achieve the objectives of our new anti-drug strategy "Tackling Drugs to Build a Better Britain".