Reducing the harm from illegal drugs

Public Accounts Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 12 Sep 2023 Closed: 3 Apr 2024 Parliament page
Illegal drug use causes significant harm to both individuals and to wider society, and costs an estimated £20 billion a year. In December 2021, the Government published ‘From Harm to Hope,’ its 10-year plan providing £900 million of new funding to reduce the harm caused by illegal drugs. The Committee’s … Read more
6 Recommendations
19 Conclusions
1 Report
2 Oral sessions
3 Letters
2 Events
Activity timeline 9 events
2 Apr
2024
Report published
9 Feb
2024
Report published
6 Feb
2024
Correspondence
15 Jan
2024
Correspondence
10 Jan
2024
Correspondence
4 Dec
2023
Oral evidence
4 Dec
2023
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Thatcher Room, Portcullis House
30 Nov
2023
Oral evidence
30 Nov
2023
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Thatcher Room, Portcullis House
Oral evidence sessions 2 sessions
4 Dec 2023
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Reducing the harm from illegal drugs
Rachael Millar · Home Office Sir Chris Wormald · Department of Health and Social Care Sir Matthew Rycroft KCMG CBE · Home Office
30 Nov 2023
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Pre-panel: Reducing the harm from illegal drugs
Alice Wiseman · Association of Directors of Public Health Mark Lay · National Police Chiefs’ Council Mike Trace · The Forward Trust Professor Dame Carol Black · Combating Drugs
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Eleventh Report - Reducing the harm from illegal drugs HC 72 9 Feb 2024 25 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
3 results
Clear
10 Conclusion Acknowledged
Eleventh Report - Reducing the har…
Progress observed in drug worker recruitment, county lines disruption, and police diversion tactics.
There have been signs of progress in some areas.24 For example, local areas have recruited an extra 1,220 drug workers, exceeding the 3-year target already.25 In terms of disrupting the supply of drugs, over 2,000 county lines have been closed … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledged the committee's observation on progress and provided further specific achievements, including increasing treatment places, closing county lines, improving prison leaver treatment, and expanding drug testing on arrest.
HM Treasury
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14 Conclusion Acknowledged
Eleventh Report - Reducing the har…
Lack of long-term funding certainty for drug strategy poses risks for local bodies.
While the strategy has a 10-year timescale to achieve its intended outcomes, its funding allocations are restricted to government Spending Review periods, typically for two to four years.42 When asked about how they could provide greater assurance to local bodies … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the committee's concerns about long-term funding, explaining that spending reviews dictate allocations and that work is ongoing to develop a strong case for investment beyond March 2025.
HM Treasury
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19 Conclusion Acknowledged
Eleventh Report - Reducing the har…
Drug strategy's outcomes framework risks perverse incentives, prioritising process over recovery and impact.
We have previously highlighted the importance of effective performance metrics as a means of assessing progress in implementation.60 The JCDU has developed the National Outcomes Framework as a basis for assessing progress towards outcomes of reduced 48 C&AG’s Report, para … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledged concerns about performance metrics by stating ongoing evaluations and tracking of outcomes within the National Combating Drugs Outcomes Framework will increase understanding of progress and inform potential adjustments to their approach.
HM Treasury
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Government Response AI assessment · 24 of 6 classified
Accepted 19
Acknowledged 3
Not Addressed 2
Total 6 recs + 19 conclusions
Correspondence 3 letters
6 Feb 2024 Correspondence from Sir Matthew Rycroft KCMG CBE, Permanent Secretary, Home Office, re Government’s work to reduce the harm from illegal drugs, dated 29 January 2024
Parliament page
15 Jan 2024 Correspondence from Sir Chris Wormald, Permanent Secretary of the Department of Health and Social Care, re follow up Public Accounts Committee hearing on 4 December 2023 - Reducing the harm from illegal drugs, dated 4 January 2024
Parliament page
10 Jan 2024 Correspondence from Sir Matthew Rycroft KCMG CBE, Permanent Secretary, Home Office, re follow up Reducing the harm from illegal drugs session, dated 15 December 2023
Parliament page