'DRUGS TSAR' GIVEN 25 PERCENT MORE CASH

#188 million extra over next three years for drug prevention and treatment.

Annual increase in police grants tied to 2 per cent a year "efficiency savings"

Home Office to take sole charge of asylum seekers from four other
departments, including #500 million annual bill paid to Social Security.

The Chancellor has finally given the new "drugs tsar" some extra cash to
back up the Governments commitment to at-tempting to reduce the demand for
illegal drugs as well as tough action against dealers and traffickers. The
current budget of #380 million a year on "pro-active anti-drugs activity"
will rise by #31 million next year; #60 million the year after; and by a
further #96 million in year three.

The reviews of youth justice and cuts in legal aid will produce extra
resources for the police, about #300 million over three years on the annual
grant of #3.6 million, but they will only be paid if the forces produce
efficiency savings of 2 per cent a year by, for example clamping down on
early retirements on medical grounds.

A three year strategic plan is to be drawn up for the three departments
dealing with the criminal justice system. This will be "evidence-based to
deliver early reductions in crime and the risk of young people becoming
criminals". Crime prevention policies and initiatives that prove
in-affective will be dropped.

In real terms the Home Office budget will rise by #500 billion to #8
million in three years time. This increase reflects the decision to give
the home office sole responsibility for services to asylum seekers. More
fundamental cost-cutting reforms of the immigration system will be unveiled
later this month.

Checked-by: (Joel W. Johnson)