Source · Select Committees · Home Affairs Committee
Recommendation 71
71
Accepted
Further support Northern Ireland officials and communities responding to drugs during political stalemate.
Recommendation
In the absence of an operational Northern Ireland Executive and Assembly, the Government must further support officials and communities in Northern Ireland to respond to drugs. This must include support to develop and sustain early intervention and prevention initiatives under the Tackling Paramilitarism, Criminality and Organised Crime Programme, which seeks to draw young people away from paramilitary groups. It must also include the extension of the harm reduction policies outlined in this report. (Paragraph 249) 82 Drugs
Government Response Summary
The government commits to supporting the Northern Ireland Executive's efforts against paramilitarism by providing c.£8 million per year until March 2024 and a further c.£8 million for 2024-2025. It also highlights an upcoming UK Drugs Ministerial meeting to enhance collaboration on drug issues.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
The Government remains committed to supporting, to the fullest extent possible, the Northern Ireland Executive-led efforts to end paramilitarism and organised crime. Following commitments made in the ‘New Decade, New Approach’ deal in 2020,25 the Government committed c.£8 million per year for the Tackling Paramilitarism Programme to match NI Executive funding until March 2024. The Government has also committed to providing up to a further c.£8 million for the financial year 2024–2025, which will see a sustained level of Government support beyond the current phase of the Programme. The main legal framework relating to the misuse of drugs, including the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 and the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016, is reserved to the UK Government. The Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001 apply to England, Wales and Scotland only but Northern Ireland has equivalent legislation, the Misuse of Drugs Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2002, which broadly mirrors these. Northern Ireland, like Scotland and Wales has its own approach towards tackling drug misuse in areas where responsibility is devolved including policing, criminal justice, healthcare, social care and education. As set out in the Drug Strategy, we are committed to building a stronger UK- wide approach so that we further embed collaboration, share practice with each other and collectively build the evidence base on drugs issues. This includes working collaboratively to achieve shared goals in preventing drug- related deaths. The Minister for Crime, Policing and Fire will be meeting with representatives from the Devolved Governments in November, for the next UK Drugs Ministerial meeting to discuss how we can continue to work constructively and collaboratively together.