Drug-related Deaths in England and Wales Debate

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Department: Department of Health and Social Care

Drug-related Deaths in England and Wales

Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford Excerpts
Tuesday 26th November 2024

(4 weeks ago)

Lords Chamber
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Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford Portrait Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford (Con)
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My Lords, the two-year review of the LGA’s 10-year drugs plan has made a number of recommendations to improve the response. On the question of synthetic drugs, it recommended the implementation of early-warning systems so that changes at street level can be responded to in real time and samples of new substances can be tested as soon as possible. Can the Minister please look into those recommendations and see what support can be provided by the Government?

Baroness Merron Portrait Baroness Merron (Lab)
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I will indeed be doing that, not least because our work with other departments continues to take account of the early warning to which the noble Baroness refers. That is in respect of the threat of synthetic opioids, which we know is extremely real and pressing.