We are committed to monitoring the impact of the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016 which commenced on the 26 May.

Section 58 of the Act commits the Secretary of State to review the operation of the Act, prepare a report of the review, and lay a copy of the report before Parliament 30 months after the commencement of the Act. This review will therefore report its findings in late 2018.

Since commencement, the police have made arrests across the country of those involved in the supply of psychoactive substances; a number of head-shops have ceased trading and many more have handed in their remaining stock to be destroyed; and action by the National Crime Agency has resulted in the removal of psychoactive substances from sale by United Kingdom based websites.

Pending the outcome of the review announced in the response to the report of the Home Affairs Select Committee, we will seek to ensure a proportionate response to the sale of poppers by all those enforcing the legislation and that this approach is reflected in the guidance currently being drafted by enforcement partners.

The Bill has lower penalties than the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 and provides for civil sanctions, as an alternative to a criminal prosecution, to enable law enforcement agencies to adopt a graded response in tackling the trade in the range of psychoactive substances. The Bill does not criminalise simple possession of poppers and this will also be borne in mind by partners when enforcing the legislation.

In consultation with the Department of Health and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), we will consider whether there is evidence to support the claims that ‘poppers’ have a beneficial health and relationship effect and, if so, whether it is sufficient to justify exempting the alkyl nitrites group (or individual substances in the group).

Should we conclude that a case has been made to include alkyl nitrites in the list of exempted substances, we intend to complete this consideration in time to enable any such draft regulations to be laid before both Houses and approved before the summer recess.

FRANK, the Government’s drugs information and advice service, is run by Public Health England. It provides impartial, reliable and confidential information and advice about drugs. It can be used in both specific drug prevention activities and in general health and wellbeing activities which are designed to help individuals to build and develop the skills they need to be able to actively choose not to use drugs.

The last assessment of the website was run by the Home Office through the website user survey between 20 February – 11 March 2013. Key findings included:

• 85% said they are very/fairly likely to visit the FRANK website in the future if needed

• in total, 69% claimed that their visit to the FRANK website had a positive effect on their attitudes and/or behaviours in at least one way

FRANK continues to be updated to reflect new and emerging patterns of drug use, remain in line with young people’s media habits and strengthen situational advice and support. FRANK is just one part of our approach to reducing the demand for drugs. For example, Public Health England has launched a new online resilience building resource, ‘Rise Above’, aimed at 11- to 16-year-olds, which provides tools to help develop skills to make positive choices for their health, including avoiding drug use.

The 2014 report of the New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) Review Expert Panel concluded that “after years of stable and declining drug use, the emergence of NPS has been a ‘game changer’”. An accompanying report (New Psychoactive Substances in England: A review of the evidence) used data from the Crime Survey of England and Wales (CSEW) to examine the prevalence of use of NPS. It indicated that mephedrone was the most prevalent NPS, though use among adults aged 16-59 had fallen from 1.3% in 2010/11 to 0.6% in 2013/14 (use of mephedrone stood at 0.5% in 2014/15). Mephedrone was controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 in April 2010. According to the 2014/15 CSEW, 0.9% of people aged 16-59 used an NPS in the last year. This was the first year that the CSEW collected data on the use of NPS generally (as opposed to specific substances).

The Psychoactive Substances Bill currently before Parliament introduces a blanket ban on the trade in psychoactive substances. The Bill will confer significant new powers on the police and other law enforcement agencies to restrict the supply of psychoactive substances.

HMP Northumberland, like many other prisons, is awash with the legal high, spice. It is creating a really dangerous environment for prison officers and offenders alike. What action is the Minister taking to tackle that very dangerous situation?

The Government is continuing to work to achieve the outcome of the Alcohol Strategy published in 2012. There are no plans to publish an update at the current time.

The Family Test was considered when developing previously published Impact Assessments on drug control orders but, in accordance with the published guidance, it was concluded there were no tangible direct impacts on families and it was not proportionate to apply the specific test. Impact assessments published alongside future orders seeking to control drugs will evidence consideration of the Family Test.

There has been a long term downward trend in overall drug use over the last decade including among young people aged 11-15 and young adults aged 16-24. However, we continue to be concerned about the harms caused by drug misuse, including ecstasy and other Class A drugs, which is why they are illegal.

The UK’s approach on drugs remains clear: we must prevent drug use in our communities, help dependent individuals recover, while ensuring our drugs laws are enforced. We have recently refreshed our approach to reducing the demand for drugs which includes investing in a range of evidence-based programmes, which have a positive impact on young people and adults, giving them the confidence, resilience and risk management skills to resist drug use.

For example: • we have launched a new online resilience building resource, ‘Rise Above’, aimed at 11- to 16-year-olds, which provides tools to help develop skills to make positive choices for their health, including avoiding drug use;

• we have developed evidence-based online tools for educators and commissioners including the Alcohol and Drug Education and Prevention Information Service (ADEPIS) which provides practical advice and tools based on the best international evidence, including briefing sheets for teachers; and

• Public Health England has developed its role in supporting local areas: sharing evidence to support commissioning and the delivery of effective public health prevention activities; and launching toolkits to support local areas’ responses on specific issues around new psychoactive substances and other drug groups.

Following on from the Alcohol Strategy published in March 2012, the Government has taken measures to address underage binge drinking including support to parents and young people about the dangers of alcohol.

We increased the fine for the sale of alcohol to children to an unlimited amount, and extended the punitive period of closure that can be imposed on a premises which has persistently sold alcohol to children from 48 to 336 hours (two weeks).

The Government has also helped schools to draw on expert advice and develop evidence-based practice. This includes funding the Alcohol and Drug Education and Prevention Information Service (ADEPIS), run by Mentor UK, to help deliver effective alcohol and drug education in the classroom.

Additionally, ‘Rise Above’ was recently launched by Public Health England (PHE). This is an online resource and social movement for young people, designed to build their resilience and empower them to make positive choices for their health.

Official statistics from surveys of school pupils aged 11-15 have shown a reduction in the proportion who have drunk alcohol in the last week, from 25% in 2003 to 9% in 2013. In addition, the Opinions and Lifestyle Survey shows that ‘binge drinking’ (exceeding more than double the recommended limits in one session) has fallen in the 16-24 age group, from 29% in 2005 to 18% in 2013.

The Global Drug Survey provides useful insights into the experience and behaviours of drug users who chose to take part in the survey.

The Government and law enforcement agencies take the issue of unlawful advertising and sales of drugs on the internet very seriously, and we continue to work with internet providers to ensure they comply with the law. This can include closure of UK-based websites where they are found to be committing offences under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.

The introduction of our landmark Psychoactive Substances Bill will also target suppliers working in both online and offline markets and give police, other law enforcement agencies and local authorities the power to take action where necessary.

The criminal offences in the Bill will apply to both online and offline markets. The National Crime Agency will continue working to close websites selling new psychoactive substances in the UK and tackle the associated organised crime. The Home Office, with the National Crime Agency, will also continue its close work with international partners to tackle the supply of these substances globally. We will monitor the impact of the legislation on any displacement of sales to the internet as part of our implementation plan.

We have worked with a range of partners, including the Association of Chief Trading Standards Officers, the National Police Chief’s Council, devolved administrations, as well as other government departments and their agencies, in the course of the drafting of the Psychoactive Substances Bill. We will continue to do so to ensure that the Bill is effectively implemented and enforced.

The UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs decided by consensus to postpone the consideration of the proposal to place Ketamine in Schedule IV of the 1971 Convention and to request additional information from the World Health Organisation and other relevant sources. The process for providing this information has yet to be defined, however the Government understands that Member State action would be required for the Commission to re-consider scheduling. The Government does not believe that controlling ketamine internationally is appropriate. It could result in reduced access to a substance listed as an essential medicine by the World Health Organisation and widely used as an anaesthetic in low and middle income countries. We will submit evidence outlining our position when appropriate.In the UK, the Government is determined to clamp down on the illegal misuse of ketamine, which leaves young people hospitalised with serious bladder and kidney damage every year, and is detected in a number of deaths every year. To prevent its misuse, we have made ketamine a Class B drug and taken action to ensure its availability for health and veterinary care in the UK is properly regulated.

The Portuguese approach to drugs was reviewed within ‘Drugs: International Comparators’ published in October 2014. The report is clear that the successes in Portugal cannot be attributed to decriminalisation alone. Whilst drug use went down and health outcomes improved, there was, at the same time, a significant investment in treatment.

This Government has no intention of decriminalising drugs. The UK's approach on drugs remains clear: we must prevent drug use in our communities, help dependent individuals through treatment and wider recovery support, whilst ensuring law enforcement tackles the criminality that is associated with the drugs trade.

The Government is absolutely clear that abusive or threatening behaviour, stalking or harassment, are totally unacceptable, whether online or offline. A number of offences may be committed by misusing the internet or social media in this way, in particular under section 1 of the Malicious Communications Act 1988 or section 127 of the Communications Act 2003. Changes to the law in the Criminal Justice and Courts Bill will help to ensure that people who commit those offences are prosecuted and properly punished.

Stalking causes misery for victims. That is why in 2012 we added to the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 two new specific offences of stalking (section 2A) and stalking involving fear of violence or serious alarm or distress (section 4A), the latter of which is punishable by up to five years in prison, or a fine, or both. Online stalking or harassment could amount to one of these offences if it is carried out as part of a ‘course of conduct’ which amounts to stalking, and could amount to the more serious offence if that course of conduct puts someone in fear of violence, or if it causes them serious alarm or distress which has a substantial adverse effect on their usual day-to-day activities

The number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates' courts and found

guilty at all courts for offences relating to the Computer Misuse Act 1990,

from 1990 to 2013 (latest data available), can be viewed in the table.

Information held centrally by the Ministry of Justice on the Court Proceedings Database does not include the circumstances behind each case beyond the description provided in the statute. It is not possible to separately identify from this centrally held information convictions and sentences involving the use or misuse of social media, or cyber crime. This detailed information may be held on the court record but due to the size and complexity is not reported centrally to the MoJ. As such, the information requested can only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Court proceedings data for 2014 are planned for publication in May 2015.

Drug offending is serious in itself and drug abuse also underlies a huge volume of acquisitive and violent crime which can blight communities. The independent Sentencing Council issued a sentencing guideline on drug offences, effective from February 2012, which brought sentencing guidance together for the first time to help to ensure consistent and proportionate sentencing for all drug offences that come before courts.

The number of convictions for offences under the Misuse of controlled drugs in courts within the North Wales Police force area, from 2009 to 2013 (the latest available) can be viewed in the table.

Drug offending is serious in itself and drug abuse also underlies a huge volume of acquisitive and violent crime which can blight communities. Previous convictions, where they are recent and relevant, must be treated as an aggravating factor by the courts and will make the sentence more severe. The independent Sentencing Council issued a sentencing guideline on drug offences, effective from February 2012, which brought sentencing guidance together for the first time to help to ensure consistent and proportionate sentencing for all drug offences that come before courts.

The table below shows the number of offenders sentenced to immediate custody for the possession of (a) class A, (b) class B and (c) class C drugs offence in England and Wales, for the 12 months ending March 2014, by the number of previous convictions.

Whilst crime is falling, sentences are getting more severe. Since 2010, offenders are more likely to go to prison, and for longer.

We believe that court will always be the right place for serious and contested cases, as well as persistent offenders. There is a range of sentences available to independent judges to impose on offenders found guilty of a crime. We are clear that prison will always be the right place for serious offenders. In addition, financial penalties play a vital role within the sentencing framework, however they must have real bite and must be enforced.

The Government is already legislating to restrict the use of cautions and has recently outlined proposals to go further and replace cautions in England and Wales, with a system of suspended prosecutions. The aim is to ensure that there are more direct consequences in future for committing even minor crimes. This new approach will empower victims and give them a say in how criminals are dealt with, as well as making it easier for officers to deal with more minor offences.

Details of the numbers of cautions issued by the police and the number of defendants found guilty and sentenced at all courts, with outcomes, for possession of class A, class B and class C drugs, in England and Wales, from 2009 to 2013 (latest available) can be viewed on the Ministry of Justice website at the available link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/311455/cjs-outcomes-by-offence-2009-2013.xls

Under Offence drop down list select:

1) Possession of a controlled drug class A

2) Possession of a controlled drug class B

3) Possession of a controlled drug class C

Sentencing and fines imposed in individual cases are a matter for the independent courts, within the limits set by Parliament and following sentencing guidelines.

The number of persons found guilty, fined and given a custodial sentence for class A, class B and class C drug offences under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, in England and Wales, from 2009 to 2013 (the latest data available) can be viewed in the table below.

Sentencing and fines imposed in individual cases are a matter for the independent courts, within the limits set by Parliament and following sentencing guidelines.

The number of persons found guilty, fined and given a custodial sentence for class A, class B and class C drug offences under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, in England and Wales, from 2009 to 2013 (the latest data available) can be viewed in the table below.