House of Commons · Westminster Hall
02 March 2022 · 1 other contributor · 3,654 words
Opened by Dan Carden Lab Liverpool Walton
Responding minister: Gillian Keegan
Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.
Dan Carden raised concerns about prison-based addiction treatment pathways in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.
Key points
Key requests to Government
The Minister should ensure there is access to treatment services within prison and on release, prioritise transition between prison and the community, commit to restoring accredited addiction and recovery programmes to former levels, and make them available in every prison. The Government must take seriously the challenge of turning people away from drugs and crime.
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.
Opened the debate
Too many people with drug dependency are cycling in and out of prison without effective treatment. In 2019, 48% of men surveyed by the inspectorate who reported having a drug problem said it was easy to get drugs, and the proportion of prisoners who developed a drug problem while in custody more than doubled between 2015 and 2020. The decline in recovery services mirrors that in the community, further exacerbated by the pandemic.
Committed to the hon. Member for securing this debate, Jim Shannon highlighted that drug uptake in prisons in Northern Ireland has risen to an astronomical height, suggesting a similar issue exists across the UK mainland. He emphasised that rehabilitation should be the foundation of prison's premise and that addiction pathways are crucial for effective rehabilitation.
Government Response
Gillian KeeganIt is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship for the first time, Dr Huq, and I look forward to doing so on many more occasions. Addiction is a chronic condition with damaging consequences for individuals, their loved ones and wider society. A high proportion of prisoners already have substance misuse problems or develop addiction while incarcerated. The Government are committed to ensuring that people receive the treatment they need in prison to prevent reoffending. Investment in services has increased from £184 million in 2016-17 to £203 million in 2020-21, with a further £21 million over the next three years. The NHS is focusing on integrating substance misuse and mental health services, ensuring joined-up care for individuals entering or leaving prison. GP2GP functionality will enable GPs working in prisons to transfer clinical records to and from community GPs by June 2022, improving continuity of care. The Government accepted all key recommendations from Professor Dame Carol Black's independent review on drug misuse issues. An additional £780 million is available for enhancing drug treatment services and supporting offenders and ex-offenders. Both abstinence-based treatment and methadone prescribing have their place based on clinical evidence guidelines. Prisons White Paper aims to deploy full range of treatment options to support recovery from drug dependency, exploring the benefits of long-acting buprenorphine for prisoners and supplying naloxone medication to prevent opiate overdoses. NHS Reconnect service ensures no disruption to care pre-release, with an annual spend of £13.8 million in 2022-23 rising to £20 million in 2023-24. The focus on recovery is unprecedented in its ambition and funding, forming a key part of the Government's plans to cut crime and make communities safer.