Drugs

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asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent meetings he has had with representatives from the Council of Europe and the European Economic Commission to discuss the potential for closer co-operation on anti-drug work; and if he will make a statement.

On 20–21 January I chaired a meeting of Ministers of the Council of Europe co-operation group to combat drug abuse and illicit trafficking in drugs (the Pompidou group). The Commission of the European Communities was represented at the meeting by a vice-president. Against a background in which drug misuse continues to present the countries of western Europe with a major social problem, we all recognised the need for close co-operation not only amongst members of the Pompidou group but also between the group and other international organisations which are active in this field. We agreed upon a new plan of action to be pursued by the group covering:

(i) Practical measures for effective implementation of legislation to confiscate the proceeds of drug trafficking;

(ii) Mechanisms to improve co-ordination of controls in major ports and of maritime surveillance;

(iii) Role of the media in shaping attitudes to drug misuse;

(iv) Role of primary health care personnel and short-term crisis intervention in responding to the needs of drug misusers;

(v) Problems related to the operating and funding of treatment facilities;

(vi) Encouragement of co-operation and action by municipalities and local action groups;

(vii) Misuse of medically prescribed psychotropic drugs;

(viii) Review of drugs legislation in member states in order to compare solutions adopted to deal with similar problems;

(ix) Preparation of a handbook setting out the division of responsibilities for drug questions at national level;

(x) Detection and prevention of drug dependence in the armed forces;

(xi) Exchange of information on the role and effects of methadone in treatment.

Copies of a declaration agreed by Ministers in the course of the meeting have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Volume 109: debated on Tuesday 27 January 1987