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Anti-Drug Awareness

The hon. Gentleman knows that there are other governance arrangements for such schools, but if we get the review under way and it changes the statutory core for PSHE, it will influence all schools. He knows the different governance arrangements for different types of school. My hon. Friend and other hon. Members, including the hon. Member for Hornchurch (James Brokenshire), raised issues of treatment, education and rehabilitation. All are important. Of course, education and early intervention treatment are fundamental, but treatment is also essential for people who have difficulties now, and we must deal with that. It is important in the treatment agenda that we have brought more people into treatment. However, when people are brought into treatment, the question changes; it is not why have people not been brought into treatment, but what is effective treatment. That question cannot be easily asked until people are brought into treatment. The Government are currently asking that question: what do we mean by effective treatment and what will actually work. To some extent, I accept the point made by hon. Member for Hornchurch: rehabilitation and treatment must include abstinence as one of the options available. It is not good enough for treatment to simply move people off illegal substances on to legal substances, such as methadone. I know that the hon. Gentleman has met lots of people and will have heard that, for many, methadone is a first, important step in stabilising their chaotic lives. However, we should not be saying that one particular course of action is appropriate for every individual. Treatment should be based on medical and health grounds, and health professionals should make a judgment about what treatment is effective for each individual. I agree with the hon. Gentleman: there must be greater recognition that abstinence and residential rehab needs to play a more important part in treatment. The hon. Member for Castle Point (Bob Spink) also said that.