§ Mr. CoxTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what funding has been made available to the Metropolitan police force to combat the use and supply of illegal drugs in each of the last three years. [48680]
§ Mr. Bob AinsworthWithin the police force grant, there is not a ring-fenced allocation for combating the misuse of drugs.
The Metropolitan Police Service has received the following drugs funding, which is in additional to their mainstream budget, specifically used to tackle the supply and misuse of illegal drugs: for arrest referral workers and for treatment for the financial years 2000–01 to 2001–02, £869,214 for workers and £708,480 for treatment in 2000–01, and £869,214 for workers and £708,480 for treatment in 2001–02.
In 2001–02, £7.5 million was made available to London boroughs from the Communities Against Drugs (CAD) fund, at the start of a new three-year funding programme, a share of which goes to the police. Prior to this, the Metropolitan police was awarded £3.5 million after a successful bid for funding for drugs-related schemes from Targeted Police Initiatives, which was a three-year programme that ended at the start of April 2002.
§ Mr. CoxTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis on the use and supply of crack cocaine in the Greater London area. [48684]
§ Mr. DenhamThe use of crack cocaine in London is of major concern to both the Government and the police. My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary and the Commissioner (Sir John Stevens) have discussed it at their periodic meeting. Additionally officials from this Department have met regularly with the Metropolitan police to discuss this and other issues, especially in connection with the Metropolitan police's current review of its operations and policy.
My right hon. Friend the Member for Southampton, Itchen (Mr. Denham) and I have also met Commander Brown of the Metropolitan police who heads Operation Trident.