Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she has taken to tackle the flow of illicit drugs in Greater Manchester.

Tackling the criminals running drug supply chains is a priority for this government as part of our mission to reduce serious violence and exploitation. Key to achieving our aim of halving knife crime is targeting the drug gangs which drive serious violence, where one quarter of knife homicides are connected to drugs markets.

In partnership with the NCA and policing we are targeting organised crime groups at every stage of the drug supply chain, combatting illicit finance, disrupting the hidden channels through which criminals communicate, and supporting law enforcement agencies with dedicated personnel to identify high-harm threats and opportunities for disruption.

In addition, to disrupt county lines, which is the most violent and exploitative model of drug distribution, we are also providing, through our County Lines Programme, dedicated funding to Greater Manchester Police to support activity to tackle this issue.