Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

County Lines Drug Gangs

Monday 5 September 2022 · 5 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 3 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The Government is investing up to 145 million in the county lines programme to tackle criminal networks.
  • Police activity funded by the programme has increased since 2019.
  • Cathinones, known as "monkey dust," are controlled under class B of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Helen Morgan Lib Dem North Shropshire
Crime & Law Enforcement Children & Families
Context

Concerns over the exploitation of children and young adults by county lines criminal networks prompted this inquiry. The question seeks to understand what steps are being taken to address these issues.

Question

What steps she is taking to tackle the exploitation of children and young adults by county lines criminal networks?

Answer from Tom Pursglove

Through our drugs strategy, we are investing up to £145 million in the county lines programme to tackle ruthless gangs harming our communities. That includes providing specialist support to victims of county lines exploitation and their families. Since 2019, police activity funded by the programme has resulted in more than 2,400 line closures, 8,000 arrests and 9,500 individuals engaged through safeguarding interventions.

Answered
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Q2 Jonathan Gullis
Crime & Law Enforcement Justice & Courts
Context

There has been an increase in county lines drug operations, leading to calls for stricter penalties and classification of certain drugs. Jonathan Gullis seeks support from his hon. Friend in supporting the reclassification of monkey dust.

Question

Over the summer recess I was proud to join our brave Staffordshire police officers on a drugs raid of a suspected county lines operation. Sadly, we have seen an increase in filthy drug thugs peddling their dirt on our streets. It is because of this that I ask my hon. Friend to join me in supporting the campaign to have monkey dust reclassified as a class A substance and increase the prison sentence for those involved.

Answer from Tom Pursglove

I would of course be delighted to meet my hon. Friend to talk about this issue in more detail. Monkey dust is a street name for certain cathinones. The Government recognise the harm of cathinones, which is why they are controlled under class B of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. The penalty for supplying a class B drug is 14 years in prison, an unlimited fine, or both. There are no plans to reclassify those drugs, although the Government keep drug classification under review and will seek to take account of any new evidence of harms.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Reclassifying monkey dust as a class A substance

How: We Keep Drug Classification Under Review

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Q3 Helen Morgan Lib Dem North Shropshire
Policing & Resources Crime & Law Enforcement
Context

There is a shortfall in the recruitment of promised additional police officers in the West Mercia force, affecting efforts to tackle county lines issues. Helen Morgan seeks reassurance that these officers will be recruited.

Question

Over the summer I met residents and parents in North Shropshire who are concerned about the presence of county lines drug networks in our market towns. Our local police force has done a superb job in breaking up some of those lines, but more needs to be done. The Government promised an additional 311 police officers in West Mercia, but at the moment we are only at 165—far off target. Can the Minister reassure me that those additional police officers will be recruited into West Mercia to tackle the ongoing county lines problem?

Answer from Tom Pursglove

I thank the hon. Lady for approaching this issue so constructively, because the matter of county lines gangs is of huge concern to communities both urban and rural, as she alludes to. The team in the Home Office will work very constructively and intensively with her force to ensure that we see the uplift programme through, so that her constituents feel the maximum benefit of the highest number of officers possible out on the streets, catching criminals and deterring crime.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific commitment to recruit additional police officers in West Mercia

How: We Will Work Constructively And Intensively With Her Force

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Q4 Maria Miller Con
Policing & Resources Crime & Law Enforcement Safeguarding & DBS
Context

There is an initiative involving the Home Office, British Transport police, and Hampshire Constabulary to tackle county lines issues. Maria Miller seeks confirmation on its continuation.

Question

Thanks to the work of the Home Office, British Transport police are working alongside Hampshire Constabulary to help tackle the appalling problems we have with county lines in north Hampshire. Can my hon. Friend tell me whether that is a project that he continues to see moving forward?

Answer from Tom Pursglove

I thank my right hon. Friend for the way she approaches this issue and her positive advocacy for that initiative, which we are committed to. It is about continuing to roll out the county lines programme, with £145 million over the next three years, to tackle what is the most violent and exploitative distribution model yet seen. It is about safeguarding vulnerable people from being exploited, arresting and charging those running the lines, and stopping them exploiting people.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Confirmation of continuation of the project

How: We Are Committed To This Initiative

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Q5 Seema Malhotra Labour (Co-op) Feltham and Heston
Policing & Resources Crime & Law Enforcement Children & Families
Context

There has been a concerning rise in teenagers going missing, linked to county lines drug activity. Seema Malhotra seeks confirmation on implementing the definition of child criminal exploitation in law and assessing police resources.

Question

Local police have told me that they have seen a worrying rise in teenagers going missing, and there is inevitably an increase in county lines activity. Given the huge issues with county lines drugs gangs exploiting vulnerable children, will the Minister confirm whether the Government will be implementing the definition of child criminal exploitation in law and assessing whether police have the resources on the ground to deal with this terrible issue?

Answer from Tom Pursglove

It is fair to say that what is happening in London is a considerable increase in police officer numbers, running at nearly 3,000 already recruited through the uplift programme, as well as additional funding in the millions and millions of pounds. The Mayor of London has the resources he requires to tackle these issues and this criminality. It is important that the hon. Lady has strong dialogue with him on that and, of course, the Home Office will continue to monitor progress on the issue.

Not addressed: Implementation of legal definition of child criminal exploitation and assessing police resources

How: Dialogue With Mayor Of London

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