§ Ms Rosie WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on progress in tackling the illegal trade in hard drugs. [116803]
§ Mr. Charles ClarkeStifling the availability of illegal drugs is one of the four key aims of the Government's drugs strategy.
The United Kingdom Anti-Drugs Co-ordinator has set challenging targets to reduce access to heroin and cocaine among young people by 25 per cent. by 2005 and by 50 per cent. by 2008. He will be reporting on progress in his second Annual Report in the near future.
Tackling the supply of illicit drugs, particularly heroin and cocaine, is a top priority for the police and Customs. In 1999, the National Crime Squad seized drugs with a street value of £77 million, a two-and-a-half fold increase on 1998.