Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
(Dundee West) (SNP)
1. What recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on
the effectiveness of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.
(Glasgow Central)
(SNP)
21. What recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on
the effectiveness of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.
The Minister for Crime and Policing ()
There are no plans to amend the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. The
principle remains that drugs are dangerous and need to be
controlled appropriately.
I am not surprised by the reply we have just heard from the
Minister. However, in Germany, the incoming Government have
agreed to join Canada and many US states in legalising cannabis,
while across Europe drug consumption rooms are operating with
positive results. As countries around us move forward, what
message does the Minister think it sends to the rest of the world
to see the UK stuck in the last century on drugs policy?
I refute the claim that we are stuck in the last century. In
fact, we launched a world-beating strategy just last week, if the
hon. Gentleman was paying attention, that proposes a
three-pronged approach on drugs, which we believe will have some
success over the next decade. I understand that the hon.
Gentleman and his colleagues often push for the legalisation of
cannabis, but I point him to the mixed experience of various
parts of the world that have done so, not least California, where
it is widely agreed to have been a disaster.
I visited a drug consumption room in Geneva, right next to the
central station in that city. Has the Minister visited a drug
consumption room? It is important to make Government policy on
the basis of evidence and what actually works in other
countries.
I have not visited a drug consumption room, although I did have a
very illuminating meeting with Ruth Dreifuss, the former
President of Switzerland who has been promoting the policy, to
discuss the issues they have faced in Switzerland and elsewhere.
While I understand that repetition is not uncommon in this place,
the hon. Lady will not elicit from me an answer that expands on
the ones I have given to her previously.
(Bridgend) (Con)
Foreign-born criminals have long used human rights legislation to
avoid deportation to their country of origin. Can my right hon.
Friend confirm whether recent announcements to reform human
rights will include the introduction of a British Bill of
Rights?
Mr Speaker
Sorry, that question is unrelated to Question 1; it relates to
Question 2. I call .
(Glenrothes) (SNP)
The Minister, as every Minister does these days, describes the
strategy announced last week as world-beating. I suggest we maybe
wait to see how it works before we make those claims. I also
suggest that he also looks at what is actually working in the
rest of the world. Can he explain why this world-beating strategy
still insists on putting the medical and health needs of drug
users in second place at best to treating them as criminals to be
ostracised and punished, rather than sick people who desperately
need to be helped?
As usual, SNP Members mischaracterise what we are trying to do.
The key feature of the strategy is twofold. First, we are ramping
up restrictions on supply, building on our success thus far,
particularly on dismantling county lines, which will have a
direct impact on drug supply in Scotland. The reason we are doing
that is that by restricting supply we believe we can create more
space for the £780 million we will be spending on therapeutic
interventions, particularly with heroin and crack users, to have
an impact. Critically, the two have to go together. If we are
dealing with a heroin or crack addict, very often they will leave
a therapeutic intervention—I am sure hon. Members see this in
their own constituencies—and walk straight back out into the
hands of a drug dealer. We need to make that less likely if we
are going to ensure those therapies stick and have an impact. As
far as criminalising addicts is concerned, large numbers of them
do commit crime. They commit crime from which there are victims.
Those victims deserve to see justice done, too.
(Christchurch) (Con)
Will the Minister be supporting my new clause to the Local
Government (Disqualification) Bill, which is coming up for debate
on 14 January? My new clause would make offences against the
Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 a ground for disqualification from being
able to serve as a local councillor.
It is unusual that the doings of my hon. Friend pass me by in
this House, but sadly that amendment has. It is an interesting
proposal, but I hope he will give me a moment to consider it
before I give him a response.
