To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the reasons for the increase in drug-related deaths in 2015.

Public Health England (PHE) led an inquiry last year into the rises in drug-related deaths. The report of the expert working group convened by PHE concluded that the reasons behind the increase in drug-related deaths are multiple and complex.

The longer-term upward trend in drug-related deaths is largely caused by an ageing cohort of heroin users, many of whom started to use heroin in the 1980s and 90s, who are now experiencing cumulative physical and mental health conditions that make them more susceptible to overdose.

Understanding and preventing drug-related deaths: The report of a national expert working group to investigate drug-related deaths in England is available to view here:

http://www.nta.nhs.uk/uploads/phe-understanding-preventing-drds.pdf