Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to reduce levels of drug offences in (a) South Holland and the Deepings constituency and (b) Lincolnshire.

Reducing drug-related crime is a key priority for this Government and is part of our mission to take back our streets and drive down crime and antisocial behaviour.

An additional £267 million in drug and alcohol treatment is being invested into services this year to improve quality and capacity, which has the potential to reduce crime and reoffending.

As part of the Governments work to reduce drug-related harms and crime, every area in England has a dedicated Combating Drugs Partnership (CDP). In Lincolnshire, the Government has supported the establishment of a Lincolnshire Drug and Alcohol Partnership, to help bring together key local partners to address drug related-crime, drug use and drug deaths, in line with local context and need. Between March 2022 and August 2024 there has been an increase of 248 treatment places in Lincolnshire.

Broader work across the county to reduce drug offences included targeting drug treatment referrals at offenders. As well as continuing work with the National Police Chiefs Council to increase police referrals into drug treatment.

We are committed to reducing drug offences in supply of illicit drugs. Recent police activity on County Lines has resulted in over 5,100 line drug dealing line closures, over 15,600 arrests and over 8,000 safeguarding referrals. In addition, we are working continuously to disrupt the organised criminal gangs behind the importation and supply of drugs in the UK.