§ Ms BuckTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the implication of the refusal of planning permission by local authorities in respect of drug treatment centres for the Government's strategy of increasing treatment facilities for drug users; and if he will make a statement. [51294]
§ Ms BlearsThere is currently no evidence that this is a widespread national problem and in fact current data indicate a rise of about 16 per cent. over the past two years of those drug misusers entering treatment. These figures mean that the Government are on track to meet the target of increasing the number of drug misusers in treatment by 100 per cent. by 2008. The Government are of course aware of the negative impact that refusal of planning permission locally could have on the Government's aim of increasing the number of drug misusers accessing treatment.
Local authorities are autonomous bodies, accountable to their electorates, and the Government do not routinely comment on, or intervene in, their day-to-day administration of the planning system. Nor would it be appropriate for a Minister to comment on the merits of an individual planning decision, because of the appellate role of the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions. It is for the local planning authority to assess each planning proposal on its individual merits, in the light of the authority's development plan and of any other considerations material to planning.