OFFENDER SUBSTANCE ABUSE PROGRAMMES

That this House notes that the Criminal Justice Act 2003 provided for drug rehabilitation to be made available to courts under community sentences; accepts that this type of sentence is appropriate for some drug users over 16 who commit crime to fund their drug habit yet show willingness to co-operate with treatment; but calls on the Government to issue guidelines to the National Probation Service on the placement of participants in offender substance abuse programmes to prevent young first-time soft drug users attending sessions with those convicted of hard drug abuse and drug pushing.