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Home Office

Answer

Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will publish a report on the progress of his Department's Drugs Prevention Initiative. [79552] Mr. George Howarth: I am publishing on 30 March, the Home Office Drugs Prevention Initiative's (DPI) eighth and final progress report. This report reflects the Initiative's valuable contribution to advancing the case for effective community based drugs prevention over the last 9 years. That contribution was fully recognised in the Government's White Paper on Drugs, "Tackling Drugs to Build a Better Britain", published in April last year. The work of the Initiative, in terms of its good practice findings from its rigorously evaluated demonstration projects, has helped influence thinking and improve the evidence base for drugs prevention. The Initiative reaches its planned conclusion on 31 March 1999. The White Paper recognised the need for successor arrangements to the Initiative, to support the Government's 10 year anti-drugs strategy. I am pleased to announce that the Home Office Drugs Prevention Advisory Service (DPAS) will replace the DPI from 1 April 1999. The new service will cover the whole of England and will work closely with all Drug Action Teams to encourage good drugs prevention practice and to support their work in delivering the national strategy. I am placing a copy of the final DPI report in the Library tomorrow at 10.30 am.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

328 c555-6W; 79552

Session

1998-99

Subjects

Crime prevention Advisory services Drugs Misuse Drugs Prevention Initiative Drugs Prevention Advisory Service