Drugs Bill
2:30 pm
Ms Caroline Flint (Parliamentary Under-Secretary (reducing organised and international crime, anti drugs co-ordination and international and European issues), Home Office; Don Valley, Labour)
Welcome to our proceedings, Mr. Illsley. I hope that we will continue to make good progress this afternoon.
We were discussing whether or not the aggravating factor that increases the seriousness of the offence of supplying drugs in the vicinity of a school should be applied at any time. That is the substance of the amendment of the hon. Member for Chesham and Amersham's (Mrs. Gillan). We are trying to create a safer zone around schools to protect young people under 18, who have a statutory duty to attend during the school term, while their families similarly have a duty to ensure that they do so. As children are required to attend school, it is essential that they are not exposed to the unnecessary risk of drugs. There are after-school activities and, as in my constituency, many schools provide play schemes and other activities on the school premises. That is why it is important that we do not lose the focus of the aggravating factor.
We cannot accept the amendments, as they go beyond the intention of the clause. They would apply the aggravating factor to any time, even when it would be difficult for a prosecution to claim that children were unduly at risk. Furthermore, because the clause covers all dealing in the vicinity of schools, including dealing between adults, the amendments would mean that an aggravated factor would be established when an adult dealer supplies drugs to another adult, even when children and young people could not be seen to be exposed or at risk. Unfortunately, therefore, the amendments weaken the focus on the threat posed to young people while attending school.