HL Deb 23 July 2001 vol 626 c158WA
Lord Taverne

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What plans they have to ensure that the residential care standards for younger adults do not adversely affect the Government's national drugs strategy and its crime reduction agenda, and in particular access to the residential treatment and the effectiveness of such treatment. [HL398]

Lord Rooker

There has been a detailed consultation exercise undertaken as part of the development of the residential care standards for younger adults. In addition to the general consultation, four workshops have been held involving service users and residential drug treatment providers. These gave this group the opportunity to raise any concerns they have regarding the impact that the care standards would have on the residential drug treatment sector. The Department of Health has also undertaken a detailed analysis of the current provision in the residential treatment sector.

These pieces of work will inform the Department of Health in setting suitable standards and a timescale for their introduction in order to prevent a reduction of availability within the residential drug treatment sector so that they do not adversely affect targets within the Government's drugs strategy.