Written question asked by Nigel Waterson (Conservative) on Monday, 23 April 2001, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 2 May 2001. It was answered by Ian McCartney (Labour) on Wednesday, 2 May 2001 on behalf of the Cabinet Office.

Cabinet Office

Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what progress has been made on establishing baseline figures for measuring the Government's targets on reducing drug use. - Inc figures.

Answer: Mr. Waterson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what progress has been made on establishing baseline figures for measuring the Government's targets on reducing drug use. [159118] Mr. Ian McCartney: The Government have set demanding targets in all four areas of their 10 year anti-drugs strategy--halving drug use among young people, halving re-offending by drug-misusing offenders, doubling the numbers of people entering treatment and halving the availability of Class A drugs--and have put in place comprehensive research and information projects to measure progress. In one of the areas--halving drug misuse among young people--a baseline figure has been established using the 1998 British Crime Survey. This showed that the proportion of 16 to 24-year-olds reporting use of Class A drugs in the last years was 8.3 per cent. and in the last month was 3.4 per cent. Baselines for the other areas will be established within the next 12 months.

Secondary information