Chapter 29

Cross-Departmental Review of illegal drugs

Scope

The cross-departmental review of illegal drugs assessed the effectiveness of existing anti-drugs programmes. A particular concern was to focus efforts on tackling the root causes of drug abuse proactively , rather than reactively subsidising failure. As well as considering the outputs and funding required to underpin the existing Anti-Drugs Strategy, it considered mechanisms for improving coordination and delivery of the strategy, both at national and local level.

Background

29.1 Action against illegal drug abuse is essential if we are to build responsible and secure communities. Drugs remain a major contributor to crime: it is estimated that up to one third of all crime is drugs-related. There are an estimated 200,000 problem addicts in the UK. Drug abuse damages health, causing between 1,000 and 3,000 deaths a year. The addicted are often excluded from the world of work and opportunity.

29.2 The UK Anti-Drugs Coordinator has launched a ten-year strategy for tackling illegal drugs, and implementation is underway. In the White Paper Tackling Drugs to Build a Better Britain, the Government announced that it would channel a proportion of assets seized from drug barons into the fight against drugs.

Outcomes

29.3 The review concluded that there needed to be stronger central coordination mechanisms to underpin effective delivery. As a result of this cross-departmental review, the Government will ensure:

extra provision for drugs treatment over the next three years. There will be a new National Treatment Agency, to ensure that addicts get the help they need. To improve coordination, the Home Office and the Department of Health have agreed to create a new pooled budget for the agency. The treatment budget will sit on the Department of Health budget, but will be managed jointly. In addition, there will also be more effective coordination of community-based prevention work;
more effective arrangements for making the best use of intelligence in assessing the drugs threat - bringing together the key players to enhance the operations of Customs & Excise, the Police and other agencies; improved management systems to support delivery of the Drugs strategy at national and regional level. At local level, Drug Action Teams will be strengthened and better coordinated with local authorities; and
additional funds for other proactive anti-drugs initiatives where there is the strongest evidence of effectiveness and unmet need.

29.4 These measures will underpin the Government's goal to create a healthy and confident society, increasingly free from the harm caused by abuse of drugs. Coordinated by the Minister for the Cabinet Office, the relevant Ministers will together deliver the Key PSA targets set out in Box 29.1

Box 29.1: Key PSA targets - Illegal Drugs

Reduce the proportion of people under the age of 25 reporting the use of Class A drugs by 25 per cent by 2005 (and by 50 per cent by 2008).
Reduce the levels of repeat offending amongst drug abusing offenders by 25 per cent by 2005 (and by 50 per cent by 2008).
Increase the participation of problem drug abusers in drug treatment programmes by 55 per cent by 2004 (by 66 per cent by 2005 and by 100 per cent by 2008).
Reduce the availability of Class A drugs by 25 per cent by 2005 (and by 50 per cent by 2008).

Spending plans

29.5 Total spending plans for the new Drug Treatment Budget and other anti-drug programmes are set out in Table 29.1 - an average real growth rate of over 10 per cent per year.

Table 29.1: Key figures

£ million
	2000-01	2001-02	2002-03	2003-04
Drug treatment	234	328	377	401
Protecting young people	63	90	97	120
Safeguarding communities	45	79	81	95
Reducing availability**	353	373	376	380
Total	695	870	931	996

*Funds in Departmental Expenditure Limits (proactive spending identified by the Review; existing spending totals are indicative)
**2001-02 to 2003-04 based on projected anti-drugs allocation from anti Organised Crime shared funding