Select committee: Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 11
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)
Dame Carol told us that she had challenged government to work together in a more collaborative and integrated way to deliver system-wide change. The whole system needs to join up to support longer-term recovery and enhanced rehabilitation, including mental health support, housing and getting people into work.29 We were concerned that there had not been a fundamental shift in approach, with the NAO’s report showing that much of the strategy funding had been used to expand or extend existing projects.30 The JCDU told us that it was starting to see change – such as the creation of 10,000 of the intended 12,000 new drug treatment places in the last six months (an increase on the March 2023 figure of 2,600 in the NAO’s report).31 The Home Office also provided written evidence after the session on what it and other departments are doing to improve the provision of housing and support for prison leavers with drug addiction issues.32 However, the JCDU acknowledged that reforms, including cultural change, are long-term aims and it will take 20 Correspondence from Department for Health and Social Care, 4 January 2024 21 Q 3 22 Q 58 23 Q 6 24 Q 55 25 Q 79 26 Q 102 27 Qq 16, 106 28 Q 113 29 Q 3 30 Q 55; C&AG’s Report para 9 31 Q 55; C&AG’s Report para 2.16 32 Correspondence from Home Office, 15 December 2023 Reducing the harm from illegal drugs 11 time to see the changes envisaged by Dame Carol.33 In addition, local areas have found it harder to recruit more professional workers, such as psychologists and mental health nurses, and retention in the sector is a problem, with turnover of 27% across third sector treatment providers.34
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.