The Home Office keeps the Computer Misuse Act (CMA) under regular re-view. The Home Office have been engaged in ongoing discussions with relevant partners in law enforcement, government and private sector to ensure that the legislation continues to remain effective.

Home Office officials have noted the conclusions in Professor Chapman's pamphlet.

[holding answer 16 July 2012]: The most recent estimate by the Home Office of the size of the UK illicit drugs market was published in 2006. It estimated the value of the UK illicit drug market at between £4 billion to £6.6 billion for the reference year 2003-04.

Source:

Reference: Pudney et al. (2006) 'Estimating the size of the UK illicit drug market' In Singleton, N. et al. (eds.) 'Measuring different aspects of problem drug use: methodological developments'. Home Office Online Report 16/06):

http://rds.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs06/rdsolr1606.pdf

[holding answer 9 July 2012]: The Home Office has not (a) produced, (b) commissioned or (c) evaluated any research on the (i) legislation and regulation and (ii) decriminalisation of controlled substances. The Home Office regularly receives expert advice from the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs on current provisions under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.

'Benzo Fury' is a brand name product currently advertised as a “legal high” in the UK. In those 'Benzo Fury' products analysed under the Home Office Forensic Early Warning System (FEWS) a number of Class B controlled drugs have been identified as well as 5-(2-aminopropyl)benzofuran (5-APB) and 6-(2-aminopropyl)benzofuran (6-APB).

We are monitoring 'Benzo Fury' and its contents through our early warning systems. The national drug awareness service website, FRANK, has been updated to include information on 5-APB and 6-APB. The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) is reviewing 5-APB and 6-APB and considering the available evidence on the harms of these drugs. Any legislative response from the Government would be informed by the ACMD's expert advice.

'Benzo Fury' is a brand name product currently advertised as a “legal high” in the UK. In those 'Benzo Fury' products analysed under the Home Office Forensic Early Warning System (FEWS) a number of Class B controlled drugs have been identified as well as 5-(2-aminopropyl)benzofuran (5-APB) and 6-(2-aminopropyl)benzofuran (6-APB).

We are monitoring 'Benzo Fury' and its contents through our early warning systems. The national drug awareness service website, FRANK, has been updated to include information on 5-APB and 6-APB. The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) is reviewing 5-APB and 6-APB and considering the available evidence on the harms of these drugs. Any legislative response from the Government would be informed by the ACMD's expert advice.

'Benzo Fury' is a brand name product currently advertised as a “legal high” in the UK. In those 'Benzo Fury' products analysed under the Home Office Forensic Early Warning System (FEWS) a number of Class B controlled drugs have been identified as well as 5-(2-aminopropyl)benzofuran (5-APB) and 6-(2-aminopropyl)benzofuran (6-APB).

We are monitoring 'Benzo Fury' and its contents through our early warning systems. The national drug awareness service website, FRANK, has been updated to include information on 5-APB and 6-APB. The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) is reviewing 5-APB and 6-APB and considering the available evidence on the harms of these drugs. Any legislative response from the Government would be informed by the ACMD's expert advice.

The Home Office has not undertaken any research on drug consumption rooms. The Department of Health is the lead Department for research in this area.

The Home Office Forensic Early Warning System (FEWS) was set up to identify emerging new psychoactive substances in the UK. Since inception in January 2011, FEWS has identified 18 substances seen for the first time in the UK, a number of which are already controlled under UK legislation.

The results from FEWS are passed to the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) which keeps drug-related issues under review, including new psychoactive substances. The current availability of substances identified by FEWS is being monitored and, as appropriate, individual substances will be reviewed by the ACMD and advice provided to the Government.

The FEWS annual report published in May is available at:

http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/alcohol-drugs/drugs/drug-strategy/fews

One new substance has been identified in the UK since publication of this report.

[holding answer 2 July 2012]: The Home Office is committed to undertaking an evaluation of the effectiveness and value for money of the 2010 Drug Strategy. A document setting out the approach to the evaluation will be published in autumn 2012.