Asked by: Jeff Smith (Labour - Manchester, Withington)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to his Department's press release of 19 June 2018, Home Office launches review into medical use of cannabis, what the timetable is for the conclusion of (a) part 1 and (b) part 2 of the review into medical cannabis.
Answered by Nick Hurd
As the Home Secretary announced on 19 June, the Government is undertaking a two-phase review looking at the scheduling of cannabis. Part one was led by Professor Dame Sally Davies, the Chief Medical Advisor to the Government, and considered evidence for the medicinal and therapeutic benefits of cannabis and cannabis based medicinal products. This part of the review is now complete and the report was published on 3 July.
Also on 3 July, the Home Secretary commissioned the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) to undertake part two of the review which will consider the appropriate schedule for cannabis related products, based on the balance of harms and public health requirements. The government has asked for short-term advice within three weeks of the commission with a full review expected by July 2019.
Asked by: Jeff Smith (Labour - Manchester, Withington)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to his Department's press release of 19 June 2018, Home Office launches review into medical use of cannabis, when the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs will begin part two of the review.
Answered by Nick Hurd
As the Home Secretary announced on 19 June, the Government is undertaking a two-phase review looking at the scheduling of cannabis. Part one was led by Professor Dame Sally Davies, the Chief Medical Advisor to the Government, and considered evidence for the medicinal and therapeutic benefits of cannabis and cannabis based medicinal products. This part of the review is now complete and the report was published on 3 July.
Also on 3 July, the Home Secretary commissioned the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) to undertake part two of the review which will consider the appropriate schedule for cannabis related products, based on the balance of harms and public health requirements. The government has asked for short-term advice within three weeks of the commission with a full review expected by July 2019.
Asked by: Jeff Smith (Labour - Manchester, Withington)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which (a) organisations and (b) individuals his Department has held discussions with on the consumption of illegal drugs at UK music festivals since April 2018.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
Home Office officials are in regular contact with the National Policing Lead regarding the consumption of illegal drugs at UK music festivals.
No illegal drug-taking can be assumed to be safe and there is no safe way to take them.
While operational decisions are a matter for Chief Constables, the Government and the public expect the police to enforce the law.
Asked by: Jeff Smith (Labour - Manchester, Withington)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the letter from his Department to Glasgow City Council published on 4 June 2018 on drug consumption rooms, what steps his Department is taking to protect heroin users in Glasgow against HIV infection.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
Health is a devolved matter, and as such is wholly the responsibility of the Scottish Government.
However, the Government support a range of evidenced-base approaches to reduce the health-related harms associated with drug misuse. For example, availability of injecting equipment through needle and syringe programmes to prevent blood borne infections including HIV.
We have also amended the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001 to permit needle exchange programmes to distribute foil for heroin smoking and we are committed to widening the availability of Naloxone to prevent drug-related deaths.
We also recognise that, for many people who become dependent on heroin, opioid substitution therapy (OST) will be an important part of their pathway to recovery. For those where opioid substitutes have not been effective, Heroin Assisted Treatment (HAT) provides an alternative and effective way of treating individuals.
Asked by: Jeff Smith (Labour - Manchester, Withington)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he plans to use data arising from the legalisation of cannabis in Canada to inform his Department’s policy on illicit drugs.
Answered by Nick Hurd
We consider approaches to drug policy from other countries as part of our work in delivering the 2017 Drugs Strategy.
The World Health Organisation's Expert Committee on Drug Dependence has committed to reviewing the scheduling of cannabis under the United Nation's 1961 Convention. This is due to consider the therapeutic use, as well as the dependence and the potential to abuse constituent parts of cannabis. We will await the outcome of this report before considering the next steps.
Asked by: Jeff Smith (Labour - Manchester, Withington)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the timetable is for his Department to respond to its consultation on the draft Domestic Violence and Abuse Bill; and what the timetable is for further steps to be taken in relation to that Bill.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
On 8 March we launched a 12 week public consultation on proposals for a landmark domestic abuse Bill and a supporting package of practical action to transform the response to domestic abuse. The consultation closed on 31 May. Over 3,200 responses to the consultation were received. The responses to the consultation are being considered and a draft Bill will be published later this session.
Asked by: Jeff Smith (Labour - Manchester, Withington)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the timetable is for his Department to respond to its consultation on the draft Domestic Violence and Abuse Bill; and what the timetable is for further steps to be taken in relation to that Bill.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
On 8 March we launched a 12 week public consultation on proposals for a landmark domestic abuse Bill and a supporting package of practical action to transform the response to domestic abuse. The consultation closed on 31 May. Over 3,200 responses to the consultation were received. The responses to the consultation are being considered and a draft Bill will be published later this session.
Asked by: Jeff Smith (Labour - Manchester, Withington)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions he has had with his Canadian counterpart on the provision of legal access to medicinal cannabis.
Answered by Nick Hurd
No meeting has been held between the Home Secretary and his Canadian counterpart to discuss the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes.
The World Health Organisation’s Expert Committee on Drug Dependence has committed to reviewing the scheduling of cannabis under the United Nation’s 1961 Convention. This is due to consider the therapeutic use, as well as the dependence and the potential to abuse constituent parts of cannabis. We will await the outcome of this report before considering the next steps.
Asked by: Jeff Smith (Labour - Manchester, Withington)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department estimates that its funding allocated to Greater Manchester Police will increase or decrease in real terms in each year until 2019-20.
Answered by Nick Hurd
In January I announced the police funding settlement for 2018/19 which will see an additional £450m invested in the policing system, around £270m direct to PCCs. I understand that the Greater Manchester Mayor has chosen to use his increased precept flexibility, which will provide around £10.4m additional funding for Greater Manchester Police in 2018/19. The Mayor has said that he will use this additional funding to improve services delivered to the public. I spoke to police leaders in every police force in England and Wales about the demands they face, including representatives from Greater Manchester and this settlement reflects the evidence they provided.
Decisions about the allocation of police resources and deployment of officers are for Chief Constables and democratically accountable PCCs. They are responsible for ensuring the needs of the local community are met.
Asked by: Jeff Smith (Labour - Manchester, Withington)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the level of funding for Greater Manchester Police.
Answered by Nick Hurd
In January I announced the police funding settlement for 2018/19 which will see an additional £450m invested in the policing system, around £270m direct to PCCs. I understand that the Greater Manchester Mayor has chosen to use his increased precept flexibility, which will provide around £10.4m additional funding for Greater Manchester Police in 2018/19. The Mayor has said that he will use this additional funding to improve services delivered to the public. I spoke to police leaders in every police force in England and Wales about the demands they face, including representatives from Greater Manchester and this settlement reflects the evidence they provided.
Decisions about the allocation of police resources and deployment of officers are for Chief Constables and democratically accountable PCCs. They are responsible for ensuring the needs of the local community are met.