Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 8
8
Accepted
JCDU and departments face challenges developing sufficient evidence base within the timeframe.
Conclusion
We were also concerned that the JCDU and departments would not be able to develop a sufficient evidence base in the time available. They have begun to collect evidence on ‘what works’ but told us that timing was an issue and there would be limited evidence on the programme. However, health interventions are based on clinical best practices and evaluation would provide some early evidence of impacts. The JCDU also said that Project ADDER, which pre-dated the strategy, would be evaluated and there were examples of progress in several local authority areas.19 In written evidence after the session DHSC also highlighted that clinical research for drug treatment and recovery interventions was being 9 Qq 3, 4 10 C&AG’s Report para 1.2 11 Qq 3, 57, 58 12 Q 4 13 Qq 3, 5, 23, 55, 115, 130 14 Q 100 15 Q 63 16 Q 38 17 C&AG’s Report para 16 18 Q 98 19 Qq 99, 100, 115 10 Reducing the harm from illegal drugs carried out at several UK institutions, including the universities of Bristol, St Andrews and Imperial College London. It will also commission further research as part of the new Addiction Mission.20 The need for a collaborative and flexible approach
Government Response Summary
The government agrees with the implied need for an evidence base, stating that ongoing evaluation of projects and programmes is already in place and the JCDU has commissioned further evaluations to increase understanding and inform future strategy.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
1.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: by the end of 2024 1.2 There has been significant progress in delivering the Drug Strategy since the start of additional funding in April 2022. As of November 2023, the government’s key achievements include: • increasing the number of quality treatment places by nearly 19,000, with treatment places for young people increasing by 16%; • delivering the closure of 2,100 exploitative county lines, meeting the 3-year target in 18 months; • improving continuity of treatment for prison leavers to record levels of 51.8%. • expanding drug testing on arrest, with 38 forces accepting funding in 2023-24 meaning double the number of forces reporting its use; • increasing the number of prisons with Incentivised Substance-Free Living units to 68; and • improving the recovery offer including expanding the Individual Placement and Support Programme on employment to cover 52% of all local authorities. 1.3 To build on this progress and continue delivering against our long-term outcomes, the Joint Combating Drugs Unit (JCDU) and departments – Home Office (HO), Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), Ministry of Justice (MoJ), Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC), Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), and Department for Education (DfE) - are focused on developing a strong joint case for investment at the next spending review. Ongoing evaluation of projects and programmes is already in place, led by departments, while the JCDU has commissioned an evaluation of local and national delivery against the whole-system approach. Assessments from these evaluations will be complemented by analysis and tracking of outcomes in the National Combating Drugs Outcomes Framework and learning from evidence across wider programmes. This work will increase understanding of progress to date, the economic impact, and where the government may need to adjust its approach to enable it to achieve the 10-year ambition. 1.4 On the basis of a comprehensive and agile response to assessing the evidence, JCDU and departments will work together to make an assessment on future ambitions and develop proposals for the next phase of the strategy. This will also include assessing wider factors, such as international evidence and the responsiveness of the strategy to combat emerging and new drugs.