Drug-related Crime

HC Deb 12 March 2001 vol 364 cc487-8W

17. Mr. Browne

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he is taking to reduce the level of drug-related crime. [151718]

Mr. Charles Clarke

Measures in hand include national roll-out of the drug treatment and testing order from October 2000 and the development of arrest referral schemes where virtually all police custody suites will be covered by April 2001, 12 months ahead of schedule.

New initiatives planned include piloting the extension of drug testing across the criminal justice system from spring 2001. Consideration will also be given to the use of specialist drug review hearings to handle cases involving drug misusing offenders and the scope for setting up a police register for drug dealers similar to that which already exists for sex offenders.

In addition, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced on 7 March extra funding over three years for the fight against drugs. This includes £220 million to be channelled through crime and disorder reduction partnerships to help the police and local communities to disrupt local drug markets and drive out the drug dealers. We will also be announcing shortly details of further funding for programmes to tackle drug-related crime.