Indeed. I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman, and I am aware of the evidence. On 31 May 2006, BBC Online said:"““Peter Walker has resigned as head teacher of the Kent school where the pilot was conducted, and is appointed as the UK Government ambassador for random drug testing.””" It...

Indeed. I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman, and I am aware of the evidence. On 31 May 2006, BBC Online said:"““Peter Walker has resigned as head teacher of the Kent school where the pilot was conducted, and is appointed as the UK Government ambassador for random drug testing.””" It...

I apologise for intervening, because it is often better to listen to the whole debate and to respond at the end, but this may be helpful to the hon. Gentleman. Of the people who enter drug treatment, 80 per cent. do so through the NHS and health programmes, and 20...

I apologise for intervening, because it is often better to listen to the whole debate and to respond at the end, but this may be helpful to the hon. Gentleman. Of the people who enter drug treatment, 80 per cent. do so through the NHS and health programmes, and 20...

I understand that that Kent school has now dropped the idea. It was extremely costly in the first place because the tests had to be paid for, and the outcomes were almost non-existent. Only one or two cases involving children who had used drugs materialised, if that. The evidence from...

I understand that that Kent school has now dropped the idea. It was extremely costly in the first place because the tests had to be paid for, and the outcomes were almost non-existent. Only one or two cases involving children who had used drugs materialised, if that. The evidence from...

Indeed. It is important to say that the Select Committee’s report did not say that there should not be a criminal justice approach. That was not within its remit, and I do not want to give the impression that it was. It made it clear that the current system of...

Indeed. It is important to say that the Select Committee’s report did not say that there should not be a criminal justice approach. That was not within its remit, and I do not want to give the impression that it was. It made it clear that the current system of...

Does my hon. Friend agree that one of the Government’s difficulties is the public perception that the classification system is so linked to the criminal justice system that to decouple the two would cause irreparable harm to their fight against drugs? The Committee was suggesting—there is a genuine misunderstanding—not that...

Does my hon. Friend agree that one of the Government’s difficulties is the public perception that the classification system is so linked to the criminal justice system that to decouple the two would cause irreparable harm to their fight against drugs? The Committee was suggesting—there is a genuine misunderstanding—not that...

I thank the Minister for that intervention, which highlights the issue of research. One of the report’s central themes is the question of where the research is. My hon. Friend the Member for Oxford, West and Abingdon (Dr. Harris) is right to ask continually where the evidence is to support...

I thank the Minister for that intervention, which highlights the issue of research. One of the report’s central themes is the question of where the research is. My hon. Friend the Member for Oxford, West and Abingdon (Dr. Harris) is right to ask continually where the evidence is to support...

In rushing through my remarks, I failed to make an extremely important point. The hon. Gentleman’s comment pricked my conscience because, like him, I was an educationalist. We have done some research, which is called the blueprint programme, on what constitutes effective drug education in schools. We hope to publish...

In rushing through my remarks, I failed to make an extremely important point. The hon. Gentleman’s comment pricked my conscience because, like him, I was an educationalist. We have done some research, which is called the blueprint programme, on what constitutes effective drug education in schools. We hope to publish...

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...

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...

The hon. Gentleman keeps returning to the issue of ecstasy. I have said that the ACMD will consider ecstasy. We set out how the ACMD comes to its view about whether a drug should be in class A, B or C on page 16 of our response to the report...

The hon. Gentleman keeps returning to the issue of ecstasy. I have said that the ACMD will consider ecstasy. We set out how the ACMD comes to its view about whether a drug should be in class A, B or C on page 16 of our response to the report...

I think that the Minister is coming to the end of his remarks. Before he does, I want him to return to something that I think my hon. Friend the Member for Harrogate and Knaresborough (Mr. Willis) would agree was critical to the report: the question whether policy is evidence-based....

I think that the Minister is coming to the end of his remarks. Before he does, I want him to return to something that I think my hon. Friend the Member for Harrogate and Knaresborough (Mr. Willis) would agree was critical to the report: the question whether policy is evidence-based....

We will have to wait and see, but the Government have no intention of reclassifying ecstasy. I was asked to confirm that the ACMD was going to look at ecstasy as part of its systematic review. I can confirm that it will. Furthermore, in respect of the Committee’s report, I...

We will have to wait and see, but the Government have no intention of reclassifying ecstasy. I was asked to confirm that the ACMD was going to look at ecstasy as part of its systematic review. I can confirm that it will. Furthermore, in respect of the Committee’s report, I...

I know that the Government have no plans to reclassify ecstasy. That is taken as read. However, the Minister said that the ACMD will reconsider the classification of ecstasy. If that is the case, does he rule out reclassifying it, if it recommends doing so?

I know that the Government have no plans to reclassify ecstasy. That is taken as read. However, the Minister said that the ACMD will reconsider the classification of ecstasy. If that is the case, does he rule out reclassifying it, if it recommends doing so?

I welcome you to the Chair, Mr. Bercow. I also welcome other hon. Members who have contributed to the debate. This is an extremely important debate. I congratulate the hon. Member for Harrogate and Knaresborough (Mr. Willis), the Chairman of the Committee, on the tone of his remarks. It augurs...

I welcome you to the Chair, Mr. Bercow. I also welcome other hon. Members who have contributed to the debate. This is an extremely important debate. I congratulate the hon. Member for Harrogate and Knaresborough (Mr. Willis), the Chairman of the Committee, on the tone of his remarks. It augurs...

The short answer to the hon. Gentleman’s last question is that I simply do not know. I do not have enough evidence to be able to reach a sensible conclusion on the best thing to do with such people or on whether the remedy that he suggests would be the...

The short answer to the hon. Gentleman’s last question is that I simply do not know. I do not have enough evidence to be able to reach a sensible conclusion on the best thing to do with such people or on whether the remedy that he suggests would be the...

Of course, I agree with the hon. and learned Gentleman about the indisputable importance of using residential drug rehabilitation centres for the treatment of people who are addicted to illegal drugs, but is there not a consequence to what he is saying? First, would he say that our laws or...

Of course, I agree with the hon. and learned Gentleman about the indisputable importance of using residential drug rehabilitation centres for the treatment of people who are addicted to illegal drugs, but is there not a consequence to what he is saying? First, would he say that our laws or...

The hon. Gentleman anticipates me and his intervention invites me to get ahead of myself. I congratulate him on the consistency of his approach to the issue. I do not always share his views, but it is important that the House of Commons contains people with different views. It is...

The hon. Gentleman anticipates me and his intervention invites me to get ahead of myself. I congratulate him on the consistency of his approach to the issue. I do not always share his views, but it is important that the House of Commons contains people with different views. It is...

According to the 2004-05 British crime survey published by the Home Office in October 2005, there are more than 1 million class A drug users in Britain. Since 1996, the number of cocaine offences has quadrupled—again, that is information from the Home Office. A total of 142,338 drug offences were...

According to the 2004-05 British crime survey published by the Home Office in October 2005, there are more than 1 million class A drug users in Britain. Since 1996, the number of cocaine offences has quadrupled—again, that is information from the Home Office. A total of 142,338 drug offences were...

By the time that I finish, hon. Members might think that it is not a bad idea to have a 15-minute break every now and then during my speeches so that they can recover. I shall not return to my initial remarks about the intervention made by the hon. Member...

By the time that I finish, hon. Members might think that it is not a bad idea to have a 15-minute break every now and then during my speeches so that they can recover. I shall not return to my initial remarks about the intervention made by the hon. Member...

Yes, indeed. The hon. Gentleman brings me to the case of the hon. Member for Henley (Mr. Johnson), a constituency neighbour of mine, whom I greatly admire. However, I see in the Oxford Mail the headline, ““Boris: I took cocaine and cannabis””. The article says:"““Top Tory MP Boris Johnson has...

Yes, indeed. The hon. Gentleman brings me to the case of the hon. Member for Henley (Mr. Johnson), a constituency neighbour of mine, whom I greatly admire. However, I see in the Oxford Mail the headline, ““Boris: I took cocaine and cannabis””. The article says:"““Top Tory MP Boris Johnson has...

It is a pleasure to see you in the Chair, Mr. Bercow. I begin by thanking the Committee Chairman, the hon. Member for Harrogate and Knaresborough (Mr. Willis), for his report and his colleagues for their work in producing it. I thank him also for the measured way in which...

It is a pleasure to see you in the Chair, Mr. Bercow. I begin by thanking the Committee Chairman, the hon. Member for Harrogate and Knaresborough (Mr. Willis), for his report and his colleagues for their work in producing it. I thank him also for the measured way in which...