Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to tackle opioid abuse?

The Government takes seriously the issue of the misuse of opioid substances. In July we published a comprehensive new drug strategy setting out a balanced approach to tackling drug abuse, including opioid abuse, which brings together police, health, community and global partners to tackle the illicit drugs trade, protect the most vulnerable and help those with drug dependency to recover and turn their lives around. The Department leads on the Building Recovery strand and co-leads, with the Home Office, on the Reducing Demand strand of the cross-Government Drug Strategy. The strategy can be accessed at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/drug-strategy-2017

We are committed to ensuring that anyone with a drug problem can access the help and support they need to overcome it. Local authorities are responsible for commissioning drug treatment services to meet the needs of their population and they are supported in this by Public Health England through the provision of data, guidance and targeted support.