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Drug Classification

I do not wish to detain hon. Members for too long. I thank the Minister enormously for the way in which he responded to this debate, for the open and honest way in which he addressed the areas on which we do not agree, and for reading the report and reporting that the Government intend to make many changes. I do not think that any hon. Member who had listened to this debate and the Minister’s response would criticise him for his enthusiasm and commitment to this issue. He was right that we are all committed to reducing harm. We are talking about not simply harm to the individual, but harm to the whole of society. Despite the slight criticism that the hon. and learned Member for Harborough (Mr. Garnier) made of me, which I do not take personally, the measured way in which he examined the formulation of the Conservative party’s policy on this incredibly difficult area gives me a lot of heart. Whenever we use this matter as a political football, we further entrench views, rather than seek sensible solutions. On the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, and in response to the hon. and learned Gentleman, I should say that one our great frustrations was the fact that we felt that there was a lack of transparency. There was a sense that we were being told, ““We hold this information and you have to prise it from us.”” There did not seem to be the view that we were partners in this, which was not acceptable. However, the Minister’s response was positive. As a former educationalist, the thing that hurt me most—I shall go no further than this and I am sure that the Minister knows this one, too—was the lack of connection between the ACMD and the Department for Education and Skills. However, our schools will make the big impact on educating young people about the misuse of drugs and other substances. That goes to the heart of what we were trying to do in our report. We want to ensure that the public at large, especially our young people, are educated about a scale of harm that includes tobacco and alcohol and puts other things in context. Our approach contrasts with one of people thinking that because those things are legal, they can get as drunk and cause as much damage as they like on a Saturday night, and smoke as much as they like without it mattering.