Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (Temporary Class Drug) (No. 2) Order 2016

Carolyn Harris Excerpts

Monday 9th January 2017 General Committees

[Carolyn Harris (Swansea East) (Lab)]

Thank you for your excellent chairmanship, Mrs Gillan. I would like to associate myself with the Minister’s remarks about Dr Owen Bowden-Jones, and I congratulate him on his appointment.

Labour Members fully support the order. It is clear that MPA has become an increasingly popular psychoactive substance and, although the evidence gathered by the ACMD has been largely anecdotal, we cannot take lightly the mounting evidence that it has found of associated deaths and harm. This is one of the first orders to place new psychoactive substances under the 1971 Act that Parliament has been asked to affirm since the Act came into force. Such measures are vital, to allow the ACMD to gather further evidence on the substances and subsequently allow law enforcement officials the opportunity to take action against offenders. I note that nearly 500 people have been arrested since the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016 came into force six months ago and that the first offenders have been jailed under the new powers, with more cases progressing through the courts.

We welcome the message that the order sends out to the general public: that the drugs have serious health implications. However, I recall that a five-year reduction strategy for new psychoactive substances was due to be published in the summer, so perhaps the Minister will enlighten us as to whether, and when, we can expect to see that.