§ Mr. KirkwoodTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the powers provided by the misuse of drugs legislation to law enforcement agencies in respect of heroin abuse. [64314]
§ Mr. McLeish[holding answer 17 December 1998]: The Government fully recognise the dangers posed by the misuse of heroin and the need for effective measures to tackle the problem. The Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 provides law enforcement agencies with a range of powers enabling them to take action against those suspected of producing, supplying, or being in possession of controlled drugs. The adequacy of these powers is kept continuously under review and the Government will not hesitate to act if they consider that the powers require to be strengthened.