Oral question asked in the House of Lords, by Lord Cobbold (Crossbench). It was answered on Tuesday, 16 January 2007.

Drugs: Classification System

Question: My Lords, I thank the Minister for that response. I am of course aware of the excellent report of the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee, Drug Classification: Making a hash of it. I note in particular the report’s conclusion, on page 48, that, "““we have found glaring anomalies in the classification system as it stands and a wide consensus that the current system is not fit for purpose””." Do the Government agree that the real problem is not about detailed composition of their classification system but that current national and international drugs policies are as a whole not fit for purpose? Is it not obvious that prohibition, as the late Milton Friedman once wrote, "““is an attempted cure that makes matters worse””?" We are told that the drugs trade is the second largest global business after oil, and it is all in the hands of criminals. Does the Minister consider this to be acceptable?

Answer: My Lords, I disagree with the fundamental premise of the noble Lord—that, in some way or other, legalisation would solve all our problems with drugs. We do not believe that. It is not the Government’s policy and we have no intention of reviewing it.

Secondary information