Select committee: Public Accounts Committee
Conclusion 19
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 ↗
Conclusion (the committee's words)
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 8 51 Qq 57, 58 52 Q 57; C&AG’s Report, para 2.10 53 Q 18 54 C&AG’s Report para 1.6 55 Ev RHD0005 56 Qq 73, 101, 115, 136 57 Q 3 58 Q 80 59 Q 101 60 Committee of Public Accounts, Improving outcomes for women in the criminal justice system, Fifty-First Report of Session 2021–22, 28 April 2022, para 6 14 Reducing the harm from illegal drugs drug use, drug-related deaths and crime.61 However, Mr Trace expressed concerns that performance measures created an obsession with the numbers and did not focus on the outcomes being sought.62 After the session, Mr Trace provided supplementary evidence that local authorities are incentivised to offer a minimal level of service to a maximum number of people, rather than measuring the numbers of people they have helped to recover from their addiction.63 He argued that the current framework creates perverse incentives and risks micromanagement at the local level.64 When challenged, DHSC told us that process indicators are necessary for long-term conditions as they help focus on what is needed to improve services, such as the workforce and numbers of people in treatment.65 Mr Trace also stated that measures of enforcement activity were still too focused on process rather than outcomes, and that that law enforcement bodies should prioritise outcomes, such as reducing the availability of drugs and lowering drug-related violence.66 Targeting treatment and recovery services
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.