Drugs: Prescribed Drug Addiction and Withdrawal

Lord Kakkar Excerpts

Thursday 23rd June 2011 Lords Chamber

[Earl Howe]

My Lords, the responsibility for commissioning these services in future will lie with local authorities, supported by Public Health England. The noble Baroness will be aware that it is our proposal to ring-fence the public health budget. Local authorities will be informed by the joint strategic needs assessment that they carry out and will work in partnership with local delivery organisations and with local GPs, who, as I have mentioned, will be even better informed than they are at the moment thanks to the Royal College guidance.

[Lord Kakkar]

My Lords, how much research into the problem of prescribed drug addiction is being supported by the National Institute for Health Research?

[Earl Howe]

My Lords, I am afraid that I do not have that figure in my brief, but I shall write to the noble Lord if it is available.