Ministers spurned drug tsar's guidance of £900m funding to tackle misuse
January 21, 2021, 12:22 pm

Ministers spurned drug tsar's guidance of £900m funding to tackle misuse

On Tuesday the government announce £80m for an increase in drug treatment, seen as vital to help break the cycle of drugs and crime but criticised by experts as ‘a drop in the ocean’

Exclusive: leaked emails show government dismissed funding plea before £80m announcement

The government’s drug tsar told ministers they should find £900m for treatment to tackle drug misuse, the Guardian has learned, before just £80m was announced this week.

On Tuesday Boris Johnson lauded a series of newly announced measures, including £80m for an increase in drug treatment, seen as vital to help break the cycle of drugs and crime but criticised by experts for being “a drop in the ocean”.

An email seen by the Guardian shows that the drugs tsar, Prof Dame Carol Black, appointed by the government to investigate how best to tackle drugs and violence, had recommended that much greater investment was needed.

In the email in December discussing the government’s drug’s initiative, a senior public health official analysed Black’s thinking, saying: “Her recommendation for the 21/22 SR was that an additional £900m be invested in drug treatment and investment over three years.” It was hoped the plans would “tackle drug crime and rising drug related deaths”, the official added.

Increasingly, police, as well as public health officials, see treatment as boosting the chances of reducing drug-linked crime and violence rather than relying on the criminal justice system. But treatment services have faced years of cuts.

The email was written by Rosanna O’Connor, director of alcohol, drugs and tobacco at Public Health England. It was sent to senior chiefs within the agency, including interim chief executive Michael Brodie, as discussions with government ended and those involved waited for a date to be set for the public announcement.

In the email marked “Official: A HEADS UP – Drugs additional £80 mill”, O’Connor wrote: “Whilst the money is only for one year, the framing narrative is expected to mark the beginning of longer-term cross-government work to tackle drug misuse.

“We know that the Dame Carol Black will be reinforcing the need for increased investment and better local partnership working, and that her recommendation for the 21/22 SR was that an additional £900m be invested in drug treatment and investment over three years. This bid had cross-govt support and now likely to be sought from the next SR.”

Nick Thomas-Symonds, the shadow home secretary, said: “It is deeply worrying that the government’s own lead adviser on drugs feels this policy falls so far short of the mark. This is yet another example of Conservative incompetence – they are failing to rise to the scale of the challenge and ultimately people’s safety will be put at risk.”

Niamh Eastwood of Release, which campaigns on drugs policy, said: “ is right that transformative change can only be achieved with significant investment in drug treatment and wider social safety nets, yet the government has ignored the recommendation of their own expert. The announcement of £80m is playing politics on the cheap, appearing to do something that will have no real impact but provides a good soundbite for the politicians.”

Black was appointed in 2019 to review how drugs fuel violence. She had previously provided expert advice to the government on the impact of drug addiction.

In her first report for the government last year, Black stressed the importance of treatment and how it had been decimated by funding cuts, saying: “Spending on treatment has reduced significantly because local government budgets have been squeezed and central government funding and oversight has fallen away.

“A prolonged shortage of funding has resulted in a loss of skills, expertise and capacity from this sector.” She is now working on a second part of the report.

In the government press release announcing the £80m funding, Black is quoted as saying she was delighted by the extra money: “Drug treatment has a vital role to play in helping people to come off drugs and thereby reduce crime, from minor acquisitive crime right through to homicide. The evidence for this is abundantly clear – drugs drive crime.”

A government spokesperson said: “This government has provided £80m in additional funding – the largest increase to drug treatment funding in 15 years and underlines our absolute commitment to reduce drug-related deaths, offending and use.

“The additional funding will open up more places for more offenders to break the cycle of repeated drug-related crime.”

source: Vikram Dodd

Levant

London buses turned into ambulances to ease Covid strain Gavin Williamson says he hopes schools in England reopen before Easter

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.