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Wednesday Volume 700 8 September 2021 No. 43 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Wednesday 8 September 2021 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2021 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 285 8 SEPTEMBER 2021 286 Mr Jack: I think the hon. Gentleman is requesting a House of Commons meeting, and I would be happy to meet him. As he knows, the ferry service between Rosyth and Zeebrugge Wednesday 8 September 2021 ran from 2002 to 2018, but from 2010 was not a passenger service. We would want any service that comes forward to be economically viable. The House met at half-past Eleven o’clock Misuse of Drugs Act and Health Outcomes PRAYERS 2. Martin Docherty-Hughes (West Dunbartonshire) [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] (SNP): What recent assessment his Department has made of the effect of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 on health outcomes in Scotland. [903221] Oral Answers to Questions 9. Joanna Cherry (Edinburgh South West) (SNP): What recent assessment his Department has made of the effect of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 on health SCOTLAND outcomes in Scotland. [903228] The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland The Secretary of State was asked— (Iain Stewart): The recent drug deaths in Scotland are Ferry Services: Scotland to Europe an absolute tragedy. The majority of the levers to tackle drug misuse are devolved to the Scottish Government, 1. Douglas Chapman (Dunfermline and West Fife) including health, education, housing and the criminal (SNP): What recent discussions he has had with Cabinet justice system. We are keen to work with the Scottish colleagues on the potential merits of creating direct Government to tackle this tragic issue and to share ferry services from Scotland to mainland Europe. [R] lessons throughout the United Kingdom. [903220] Martin Docherty-Hughes: I wonder why the Minister The Secretary of State for Scotland (Mr Alister Jack): and the Government refuse to base their policy on Let me start by saying that the Scottish athletes of evidence such as that from Portugal, Canada and Team GB have returned triumphant from the Tokyo Switzerland, where drug consumption rooms save lives. 2020 Olympic games with a record total of 14 medals, We cannot help people when they are dead; DCRs save surpassing the 13 medals won by Scottish athletes at lives. both the London and Rio Olympics. At the Paralympic games, the Scots of ParalympicsGB won an impressive Iain Stewart: There is not a unanimous view on the 21 medals. I congratulate every athlete who competed. I efficacy of drug consumption rooms. The Minister for also congratulate the Scottish football team on their Crime and Policing, my hon. Friend the Member for victory in Vienna last night. North West Hampshire (Kit Malthouse), recently had I regularly discuss a wide range of topics with Cabinet discussions with his counterpart in the Scottish Government colleagues, including transport and the Union connectivity and it was made clear that we are open to any new review. There are of course merits to any direct ferry evidence about drug consumption rooms, but they are services from Scotland. I understand that discussions not the single solution to the problem. This requires a for a new service to mainland Europe have been taking holistic approach. We are very happy to work with the place for some time. Scottish Government to explore all the different options. Douglas Chapman: I endorse the comments of the Joanna Cherry: There is plenty of evidence on the Secretary of State on the Olympic and Paralympic efficacy of drug consumption rooms. I am sure that my teams, and the tartan army result last night; I am colleagues who have worked on the issue would be absolutely delighted with second place in the group at happy to discuss it with the Minister. Portugal faced the moment, but let us go on to be first and get some of the highest rates of drug deaths in Europe at qualification. the turn of the century, but it radically reversed the The Secretary of State will be aware of recent dismal situation through decriminalisation and a public health export figures in the wake of Brexit, the need to reduce approach. The Scottish Government have used their lorry miles to help us get to net zero and the current powers to commit to the public health approach. The HGV driver crisis that make up the hat-trick of events question for the Minister is whether his Government that would seem to make the need for a ferry service will use their reserved powers to amend the Misuse of from Scotland to mainland Europe almost self-evident. Drugs Act and enable the measures that worked in However, there are barriers, including the commitment Portugal, such as drug consumption rooms, to happen. of Border Force to provide the resources and personnel The Scottish Government have done their bit. Will his to support that new route. Next week, we celebrate Government do theirs? London International Shipping Week— Iain Stewart: I have discussed the specific matter of Mr Speaker: Order. I am sorry, but we have to get drug consumption rooms at some length with the hon. through the list of questions. The Secretary of State is and learned Lady’s colleague, the hon. Member for going to have to answer the hon. Gentleman as best he Glasgow Central (Alison Thewliss), so I am well aware can. [Interruption.] of the arguments for them, but there are arguments 287 Oral Answers 8 SEPTEMBER 2021 Oral Answers 288 against them. As I said in response to the hon. Member has a positive story to tell about them. The other thing for West Dunbartonshire (Martin Docherty-Hughes), that he failed to mention is that the legislation that we are happy to look at new evidence. In England and makes drug use a crime often traps vulnerable people in Wales, we have Project ADDER, which is showing a vicious cycle of poverty and crime. With that in mind, some promising early signs of being effective in combating will this Government finally commit to reviewing the drug misuse. I strongly urge the hon. and learned Lady’s 50-year-old legislation that is the Misuse of Drugs colleagues in the Scottish Government to take up our Act 1971? offer to extend that to Scotland. Iain Stewart: As I said to the hon. Lady’s colleagues, Douglas Ross (Moray) (Con): In the last year for we constantly discuss these matters with our counterparts which figures are available, 1,339 lives were lost in in Scotland. We have made very serious offers, as I say, Scotland as a result of drug misuse, the worst number to extend Project ADDER, which looks at drugs misuse since records began in 1996, yet we got no solutions in a holistic way. There is evidence to show that that is from the SNP or from Nicola Sturgeon in her programme working. I strongly urge the Scottish Government to for government yesterday. Scottish Conservatives have take up that offer. Particularly on drug consumption put forward plans for a right to recovery Bill. Does the rooms, as I say, if there is new evidence there, we will Minister agree that the Scottish Government should consider it. engage with us to bring forward these proposals? Mhairi Black: In what world do you get to claim to be Iain Stewart: I absolutely agree. My hon. Friend and taking an issue seriously while in the same breath commit his colleagues have come up with an excellent policy in to change absolutely nothing? If the logical arguments this area, and it would be to the great advantage of will not convince, then maybe the financial ones will. people in Scotland that the Scottish Government take Crimes linked to drugs in Scotland cost £750 million a up the proposals that it contains. year to investigate and prosecute. Experts tell us that that money could be better spent. If the experts, the Pete Wishart (Perth and North Perthshire) (SNP): Scottish Government and even the Scottish Conservatives The Scottish Affairs Committee conducted the most can now agree that health needs to be the main approach, extensive inquiry ever undertaken into drug use in Scotland, why not the Minister? taking evidence from practically everybody with an interest and a stake in this issue. We concluded that we need every tool in the kitbag to address the scale of this Iain Stewart: I think the hon. Lady takes a very problem, from an increased resources position to adopting partisan view on this. We have put forward some very evidence-based solutions with best practice from concrete suggestions. I remind her that the vast majority international examples that have worked, such as drug of powers in this area lie with the Scottish Government, consumption facilities and decriminalisation. Why did and her Government have been in power for 14 years, so the UK Government reject nearly all of our conclusions perhaps they should spend a little bit more effort focusing and recommendations? on tackling some of these social issues rather than obsessing about independence, which no one wants. Iain Stewart: I understand that the report from that Committee, which I think was done in 2018, was not a Strength of the Union unanimous one and the Committee divided on it, which illustrates the fact that there is not the unanimity of 3. Stephen Flynn (Aberdeen South) (SNP): What view on the proposals to which the hon. Gentleman recent assessment his Department has made of the refers.
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