Select Committee · Public Accounts Committee

Reducing the harm from illegal drugs

Status: Closed Opened: 12 Sep 2023 Closed: 3 Apr 2024 6 recommendations 19 conclusions 1 report

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 inquiry follows its May 2023 …

Reports

1 report

Title	HC No.	Published	Items	Response
Eleventh Report - Reducing the harm from illegal drugs	HC 72	9 Feb 2024	25	Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

3 items

10 Conclusion Eleventh Report - Reducing the harm fro… Acknowledged

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 (exceeding the initial three-year target) and there have been 4,800 …

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

14 Conclusion Eleventh Report - Reducing the harm fro… Acknowledged

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 on longer-term funding, departments told us they were unable to …

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

19 Conclusion Eleventh Report - Reducing the harm fro… Acknowledged

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 9 49 Q 3 50 Q 59; C&AG’s Report, Figure …

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

Oral evidence sessions

2 sessions

Date	Witnesses
4 Dec 2023	Rachael Millar · Home Office, Sir Chris Wormald · Department of Health and Social Care, Sir Matthew Rycroft KCMG CBE · Home Office	View ↗
30 Nov 2023	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	View ↗

Correspondence

3 letters

Date	Direction	Title
6 Feb 2024	—	Correspondence from Sir Matthew Rycroft KCMG CBE, Permanent Secretary, Home Off…
15 Jan 2024	—	Correspondence from Sir Chris Wormald, Permanent Secretary of the Department of…
10 Jan 2024	—	Correspondence from Sir Matthew Rycroft KCMG CBE, Permanent Secretary, Home Off…