Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to reduce health inequalities arising from substance misuse.

The Government is committed to ensuring that anyone with a drug or alcohol problem can access the help and support they need. Funding for drug and alcohol treatment can reduce societal inequalities and contribute to the Government’s mission to increase opportunity for all.

Local authorities are responsible for commissioning community alcohol and drug treatment and recovery services as part of their public health responsibilities. Over the next three years, through the Public Health Grant, we are providing local authorities with £3.4 billion of ringfenced funding for drug and alcohol prevention, treatment, and recovery. Conditions of the Public Health Grant include that local authorities use the funding solely for the purposes of commissioning and providing drug and alcohol services, and they have a comprehensive plan based on the assessment of local need and which has been developed with local health, housing, employment, children and families, and criminal justice partners.

The Department delivers a robust monitoring and assurance programme, and quality improvement interventions, for local authorities commissioning drug and alcohol treatment services. The number of adults in treatment is now the highest since reporting began, with latest annual statistics showing that between April 2024 and March 2025 there were 329,646 adults aged 18 years old and over in contact with community drug and alcohol treatment services.