PEERS SUPPORT DRUG DEBATE

A LABOUR peer welcomed the suggestion last night by Michael Portillo,
the Tory leadership contender, that there should be a "larger debate"
on drugs.

The support came from Lord Desai (Lab) during Question Time in the
Lords. To Lord Rooker, new Home Office minister, he said: "Would you
not agree that the interesting observation made by Mr Portillo that
we ought to have a larger debate on drugs should be welcomed by all
sides of the House, including the Opposite side?"

Lord Rooker replied: "I am in favour of mature, adult debate on all
issues of public policy." The public debate on the future of cannabis
has been intensified in recent weeks.

The Daily Telegraph is in favour of cannabis being legalised for a
trial period. Peers also raised the police experiment in cautioning
rather than prosecuting cannabis possessors in Lambeth, south London.
Lord Rooker said it had the support of the Government, particularly
since the authorities wanted to tackle Class A drugs like heroin and
cocaine.

"The six-month pilot in Lambeth is very much in keeping with this
priority. The Government will be interested in the evaluation of the
pilot and, in particular, the impact on drug misuse and crime."

Lady Seccombe (C) a former Solihull JP, expressed her worries. "My
concern is that a police force, in a very high profile and public
manner, has been selective in its implementation of the law."

She pressed Lord Rooker on whether this was due to manpower shortages
in the Metropolitan Police. "Or is it now New Labour policy to allow
chief constables to choose which parts of the law they enforce?"

Lord Rooker replied: "There is enormous discretion with police
constables and police about what they do when an incident or a
perceived crime takes place."

Lord Dholakia (Lib Dem) urged all police forces to follow the Met's
"good practice" in Lambeth. Lord Rooker replied: "For all I know,
they might well be operating policies similar in other parts of the
country. That is at the discretion at the lowest level of the police
force, with their local situation.

They are the best judge of that, not ministers in Whitehall or,
indeed, politicians in Westminster."