§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the total amount spent in the course of reducing the illegal drugs trade in 461W (a) South America, (b) Eastern Europe and (c) Africa and Asia in each of the past 10 years; and what assessment he has made of the effect of this expenditure in reducing the trade in drugs. [106185]
§ Mr. BattleA breakdown of spending on specific regions is available only for the last three years, as follows:
£ million 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 South America 0.29 0.74 0.9 Eastern Europe 0.65 0.67 0.82 Africa and Asia 1.74 1.65 1.96 The increased focus brought to our international counter-drugs activities by this Government's 10-year drugs strategy has resulted in targeting of assistance on the countries posing the greatest drugs threat to the UK. Recent UK assistance to Iran is helping that country to make the world's biggest seizures of opiates (180 tonnes in 1998), much of which would otherwise reach the UK and the rest of Europe. The close co-ordination of our international counter-drugs work helped HMS Marlborough and HMS Northumberland to seize more than 11 tonnes of cocaine in 1999, worth well over £1 billion at UK street prices.