Select committee: Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 3
Eleventh Report - Reducing the harm from illegal drugs
Published 9 Feb 2024
Addressed to HM Treasury
Public Accounts Committee Reducing the harm from illegal drugs All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Recommendation (the committee's words)
Uncertainty over funding allocations has made it difficult for local authorities to commission and deliver the high-quality treatment and recovery services that are needed. In 2022–23 and 2023–24, DHSC encountered delays in allocating substance misuse treatment funding to local authorities. These delays hindered early progress by making it harder for local authorities to commission services. We welcome that DHSC has confirmed substance misuse treatment funding for 2024–25 though note that at the time of our evidence session in December it had yet to award its public health grant. As we said in our report on Alcohol Treatment Services, DHSC should set out annual funding allocations to local authorities in good time. Further, as strategy funding is only committed to 2024–25, it is difficult for local authorities to recruit staff and contract with service providers to rebuild the treatment workforce. We are disappointed that departments seem unwilling to explore how to provide local authorities with more confidence over long-term funding. Recommendation 3: To improve certainty around funding for drug treatment services, the DHSC and Home Office should: • ensure allocations of drug-related funding and public health grant are confirmed well before the start of the relevant financial year; and, • consider what comfort they can provide to local authorities to allow them to plan for the longer term and deliver the right investments to make a difference in their areas.
From: Public Accounts Committee, Eleventh Report - Reducing the harm from illegal drugs (HC 72), 9 February 2024
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 2 April 2024.
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government states that it agrees with the Committee's recommendation on each of the six conclusions, giving target implementation dates of the end of 2024, March 2025 or April 2025, and describing one as already implemented.
- On sustained investment, the government agrees, and says the Joint Combating Drugs Unit and departments are "focused on developing a strong joint case for investment" at the next spending review, with a target date of the end of 2024.
- On funding certainty for local authorities, the government agrees and lists the recommendation as implemented. It says it "will give as much notice as is feasible" of future allocations, and published 2024-25 Public Health Grant allocations on 5 February 2024.
- On variations in local outcomes, the government agrees, with a target of March 2025. It cites targeted work by DHSC with 19 local authority areas, including "tailored performance improvement plans", and ongoing evaluation of local delivery.
- On reducing demand, the government agrees, with a target of April 2025. It "recognises there is more to do" and says work is underway to bring together the evidence, including a new cross-government innovation fund.