HC Deb 12 May 2004 vol 421 cc348-50W
John Mann

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what meetings Ministers have had with their counterparts from(a) Sweden, (b) Greece, (c) Belgium, (d) Denmark, (e) Finland, (f) Spain, (g) the USA, (h) Portugal, (i) Italy, (j) New Zealand, (k) Ireland, (l) Canada, (m) Jamaica, (n) the Netherlands, (o) Switzerland, (p) France and (q) Germany on drug abuse in the past two years. [171622]

Caroline Flint

Over the past two years, in addition to the regular contacts we have with European colleagues in the Council of Ministers and with other counterparts at other international meetings, my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary has met counterparts from Greece, Belgium, Denmark, the United States, Italy, Ireland, Canada, the Netherlands, Germany and France; my predecessor as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Home Office with responsibility for drugs issues, my hon. Friend the Member for Coventry, North-East (Mr. Ainsworth), met his counterparts from Ireland. Jamaica and France; I have met my counterparts from Jamaica and the Netherlands. As a matter of major concern to Home Affairs and Justice Ministers across the world, drugs will have featured in most of these discussions. Home Office Ministers also have ready access to drug policies and practice in those countries through published reports from and about them and through advice from officials and others who keep in close touch with developments.

Mr. Meacher

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what public funds were spent on tackling drugs misuse in Oldham, West and Royton in(a) 1997–98 and (b) 2003–04. [170957]

Caroline Flint

Breakdown of financial allocation to local constituencies is not available to the Home Office. Funding is allocated to Drug Action Team (DAT) areas, in this case Oldham Drug and Alcohol Action Team (DAAT).

The period 1997–98 pre dates the Government's current National Drug Strategy. Expenditure across all appropriate agencies in the area at this time is estimated to have been £977,350. This figure is based on locally held information for the period 1998–99 and has been supplied by Oldham DAAT.

In 2003–04 the total drugs allocation for Oldham was £1,697,123. In order to ensure consistency figures supplied are based on funding streams associated with the National Drug Strategy and are readily verifiable. These funding streams are specifically targeted at tackling the harm caused to individuals, families and communities by the misuse of drugs. Other mainstream funding is made available at a local level, this varies and both in amount and origin as a result it is not possible to provide robust financial information.

2003–04
£
Partnership Capacity 69,259
Treatment Pooled Budget 1,016,000
Through Care After Care Pump Priming 35,000
Building Safer Communities1 386,069
Young people 190,795
Total 1,697,123
1 Contains non-drug elements.

Mr. Borrow

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what public funds were spent on tackling drugs misuse in South Ribble in(a) 1997–98 and (b) 2003–04. [171656]

Caroline Flint

Breakdown of financial allocation to local constituencies is not available to the Home Office. Funding is allocated to Drug Action Team (DAT) areas, in this case Lancashire DAT.

In 1997–98 (pre-dating National Drugs Strategy) funding available to Lancashire DAT area totalled £670,000.

In 2003–04 the total drugs allocation for Lancashire was £6,015,000. In order to ensure consistency, figures supplied are based on funding streams associated with the National Drug Strategy and are readily verifiable. These funding streams are specifically targeted at tackling the harm caused to individuals, families and communities by the misuse of drugs. Other mainstream funding is made available at a local level; this varies both in amount and origin, as a result it is not possible to provide robust financial information.

2003–04
£
Partnership capacity 118,000
Treatment pooled budget 3,980,000
Through care after care pump priming 35,000
Building safer communities1 1,147,000
Young people 735,000
Total 6,015,000
1 Contains non-drug elements.