Drugs Intervention Programme

Oral Answers to Questions — Home Department – in the House of Commons at 2:30 pm on 23 May 2005.

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Photo of Iain Wright Iain Wright Labour, Hartlepool 2:30, 23 May 2005

If he will make a statement on the progress of the drugs intervention programme.

Photo of Paul Goggins Paul Goggins Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Correctional Services and Reducing Re-offending), Home Office

In March 2005, more than 1,900 drug-misusing offenders entered drug treatment through the drugs intervention programme—the highest number since the programme began. This intensive programme is now operating in 97 areas with a history of high levels of drug-related crime. Recorded acquisitive crime, of which drug-related crime is the most significant proportion, fell by 11 per cent. between December 2003 and December 2004.

Photo of Iain Wright Iain Wright Labour, Hartlepool

I thank the Minister for that reply. The drugs intervention programme has been a huge success in my constituency, resulting in reduced reoffending rates and drug use, and contributing to a 22 per cent. fall in overall crime in the past year. But the money for the programme runs out in 2008. What steps will the Minister take to make sure that this valuable scheme continues beyond that date, and that police officers are able to plan beyond it?

Photo of Paul Goggins Paul Goggins Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Correctional Services and Reducing Re-offending), Home Office

I pay tribute to the way in which my hon. Friend has campaigned on these issues in his constituency. He is correct to say that crime is down in his area, particularly robberies and theft, which are the crimes most closely associated with drug offending. In March alone, 45 individuals in Hartlepool got into drug treatment through the drugs intervention programme. The funding to which my hon. Friend refers is secure for the spending period within which we are currently operating. Further plans for the spending review will be considered in due course, but a programme that is making such a difference in driving down drug use and its connection with crime will certainly be a strong contender in any future consideration.

Photo of David Davis David Davis Shadow Secretary of State (Home Office)

The United States Government have managed to reduce drug use among schoolchildren by 17 per cent. in three years. What has happened to drug use among schoolchildren in this country during eight years under this Government?

Photo of Paul Goggins Paul Goggins Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Correctional Services and Reducing Re-offending), Home Office

According to the latest schools survey, drug use among schoolchildren is down, which we will all welcome. It is down from 21 per cent. to a regrettable figure of 18 per cent., which Members in all parts of the House will still regard as too high. We have to tackle the supply of drugs and make sure that where drugs are used, the situation is dealt with appropriately. We also need to educate our children and young people about the impact of crime on them and their families, and through programmes such as the "Frank" campaign, straightforward information is given to schoolchildren. This is not an easy issue to deal with, and if the right hon. Gentleman is suggesting that it is, he is wrong. However, we are dealing with it.

Photo of David Davis David Davis Shadow Secretary of State (Home Office)

The truth is that drug use has risen by two thirds since 1998; almost a fifth of teenagers are exposed to drugs each year, compared with one in 10 in 1998. That is the true figure. A former Labour Cabinet Minister said recently that cannabis use by young people had rocketed in the last two years and that kids did not believe it to be illegal. Do the Government now accept responsibility for the damage that has been caused to thousands of young people by use of cannabis?

Photo of Paul Goggins Paul Goggins Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Correctional Services and Reducing Re-offending), Home Office

My answer to the right hon. Gentleman is to emphasise that cannabis is illegal and can be harmful. When we reclassified cannabis to class C from class B, we wanted to accentuate the campaign against the most damaging drugs such as crack cocaine and heroin. I hope that he will see that the campaign against those drugs is of the highest importance.

On reclassification, in March my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary—in view of concerns expressed about the potential connection between use of cannabis and mental illness and emerging, stronger strains of cannabis—referred the matter back to the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, which will come forward with recommendations in due course.

Photo of Helen Jones Helen Jones Labour, Warrington North

My hon. Friend is quite right to say that tackling drug abuse is key to tackling crime, but will he go one step further and look at what happens to people after they have been through drug treatment programmes? Is now not the time to look at developing ways of supporting people after treatment by helping them to get jobs and proper housing, because sending them back to the same estates with the same drug dealer around the corner often leads them to go back to drugs and hence back to crime?

J

According to Hansard this comment was by
Helen Jones (Warrington, North) (Lab):

Rather than Lynne Jonest?

Submitted by Jason Lowther

Photo of Paul Goggins Paul Goggins Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Correctional Services and Reducing Re-offending), Home Office

As always, my hon. Friend makes a telling point. On criminality, it is important that the rehabilitation and recovery programme provides effective support in terms of housing, education, employment and mentoring, all of which will be part of the drug treatment programmes as they are across the criminal justice system.

Photo of Julian Brazier Julian Brazier Shadow Minister (Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs), Shadow Minister (Transport)

May I take the Minister back to his answer on cannabis to my right hon. Friend David Davis? Will he explain to the House how it harms the suppliers of hard drugs to say to the nation's young people that they will get away with a slap on the wrist if they take cannabis but that they must buy cannabis from criminals, which is the ridiculous half-way house to which he has taken the law on cannabis?

s

A room full of people and none of them knowing much about which they debate, it matters not at all what class cannabis or any other drug is put into,you cant overdose on a classification.WASTED time here i see.,

Submitted by stinky will

Photo of Paul Goggins Paul Goggins Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Correctional Services and Reducing Re-offending), Home Office

The hon. Gentleman has misunderstood my point, which was that it was important that the police could focus all their attention on the most dangerous and harmful drugs, such as crack cocaine and heroin. It does not mean that cannabis is not harmful or illegal; it remains illegal. The police can focus their resources and, frankly, the message to young people is credible. If we argue that cannabis is as harmful as crack cocaine or heroin, we will not be credible with the young people whom we are trying to get off drugs.