Meetings

Inquiry into new psychoactive substances

This page gives details of any meetings held which will, or did, discuss the matter, and includes links to the relevant Papers, Agendas and Minutes.

Note: Meeting Agenda can change at short notice. Particularly where future meeting dates are indicated more than a week in advance. Please check before planning to attend a Committee Meeting that the item you are interested in has not been moved.

Meeting: 11/02/2016 - Health and Social Care Committee - Fourth Assembly (Item 3)

Inquiry into new psychoactive substances: factual briefing on the Welsh Government's 'Working together to reduce harm' – Delivery plan 2016–2018

Tracey Breheny, Deputy Director of Substance Misuse – Welsh Government

Minutes:

3.1 Officials provided a briefing on the Welsh Government’s ‘Working together to reduce harm’ Delivery Plan 2016-18 to Members.


Meeting: 11/02/2016 - Health and Social Care Committee - Fourth Assembly (Item 2)

Inquiry into new psychoactive substances: factual briefing on the Psychoactive Substances Bill and relevant EU developments

Chloe Dunnett, Drugs and Alcohol Unit - Home Office

Angela Scrutton, Drugs and Alcohol Unit - Home Office

Joe Shapiro, Drugs and Alcohol Unit – Home Office

Minutes:

2.1 Officials provided a briefing on the Psychoactive Substances Act and relevant EU developments to Members.


Meeting: 13/05/2015 - Plenary - Fourth Assembly (Item 3.)

Debate on the Health and Social Care Committee's report on its inquiry into new psychoactive substances

NDM5756 David Rees (Aberavon)

 

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

 

Notes the report by the Health and Social Care Committee on its inquiry into new psychoactive substances, which was laid in the Table Office on 18 March 2015.

 

Note: The response of the Minister for Health and Social Services was laid on 6 May 2015.

 

Supporting Documents

 

Health and Social Care Committee’s Report

Welsh Government’s Response

Decision:

The item started at 15.35

NDM5756 David Rees (Aberavon)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

Notes the report by the Health and Social Care Committee on its inquiry into new psychoactive substances, which was laid in the Table Office on 18 March 2015.

The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

 


Meeting: 29/04/2015 - Health and Social Care Committee - Fourth Assembly (Item 6)

6 Inquiry into new psychoactive substances: correspondence from the Home Office

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

6.1a The Committee noted the correspondence, and that the Committee’s report on its inquiry into new psychoactive substances would be debated by the National Assembly on 13 May 2015.


Meeting: 26/03/2015 - Children, Young People and Education Committee - Fourth Assembly (Item 4)

4 Letter from the Chair of the Health and Social Care Committee - Report into new psychoactive substances

CYPE(4)-10-15 – Paper to note 4

Supporting documents:


Meeting: 25/02/2015 - Health and Social Care Committee - Fourth Assembly (Item 8)

Inquiry into new psychoactive substances (“legal highs”): approach to report launch

Minutes:

8.1 The Committee considered its approach to launching its report on new psychoactive substances (“legal highs”).


Meeting: 12/02/2015 - Health and Social Care Committee - Fourth Assembly (Item 10)

10 Inquiry into new psychoactive substances (“legal highs”): consideration of draft report

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

10.1 The Committee considered and agreed the draft report, subject to minor changes, for its inquiry into new psychoactive substances (“legal highs”).

10.2 The Committee considered its approach to launching the report.


Meeting: 15/01/2015 - Health and Social Care Committee - Fourth Assembly (Item 2)

2 Inquiry into new psychoactive substances (“legal highs”): correspondence from the Minister for Health and Social Services

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

2.3a The Committee noted the correspondence.


Meeting: 15/01/2015 - Health and Social Care Committee - Fourth Assembly (Item 6)

6 Inquiry into new psychoactive substances (“legal highs”): evidence session 8

Dan Greaves, Head of Drugs & Alcohol Unit, Home Office

Angela Scrutton, Head of Drug Legislation, Home Office

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

6.1 The witnesses responded to questions from Members.

6.2 The witnesses agreed to provide further information on the process by which Home Office colleagues have consulted the devolved administrations on proposed European legislation in the field of new psychoactive substances.


Meeting: 15/01/2015 - Health and Social Care Committee - Fourth Assembly (Item 9)

Inquiry into new psychoactive substances (“legal highs”): consideration of evidence received

Minutes:

9.1 The Committee considered the evidence received.


Meeting: 10/12/2014 - Health and Social Care Committee - Fourth Assembly (Item 6)

6 Inquiry into new psychoactive substances (“legal highs”): consideration of the key issues

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

6.1 The Committee discussed and agreed the key issues that have arisen during the Committee’s inquiry into new psychoactive substances (“legal highs”).

6.2 The Committee agreed to extend the inquiry in order to take oral evidence from Home Office officials at its meeting on 15 January 2015.


Meeting: 03/12/2014 - Children, Young People and Education Committee - Fourth Assembly (Item 4)

4 Letter from the Chair of the Health and Social Care Committee - Inquiry into new psychoactive substances ("legal highs")

CYPE(4)-29-14 – Paper to note 5

Supporting documents:


Meeting: 26/11/2014 - Health and Social Care Committee - Fourth Assembly (Item 4)

4 Inquiry into new psychoactive substances (“legal highs”): evidence session 7

Mark Drakeford AM, Minister for Health and Social Services

 

Tracey Breheny, Deputy Director of Substance Misuse, Government & Corporate Business

Dr Sarah Watkins, Head of Mental Health & Vulnerable Groups Division/Senior Medical Officer 

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

4.1 The witnesses responded to questions from Members.

4.2 The Minister agreed to provide a note to the Committee outlining the estimated costs to NHS Wales of the proposed prison in North Wales.

 

 


Meeting: 26/11/2014 - Health and Social Care Committee - Fourth Assembly (Item 8)

Inquiry into new psychoactive substances (“legal highs”): consideration of evidence received

Minutes:

8.1 The Committee considered the evidence received.

 


Meeting: 12/11/2014 - Health and Social Care Committee - Fourth Assembly (Item 3)

3 Inquiry into new psychoactive substances (“legal highs”): Evidence session 6

Paul Roberts, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

3.1 The witness responded to questions from Members.


Meeting: 12/11/2014 - Health and Social Care Committee - Fourth Assembly (Item 6)

Inquiry into new psychoactive substances (“legal highs”): Consideration of evidence received

Minutes:

6.1 The Committee considered the evidence received on the inquiry.


Meeting: 12/11/2014 - Health and Social Care Committee - Fourth Assembly (Item 2)

2 Inquiry into new psychoactive substances (“legal highs”): Evidence session 5

Detective Chief Inspector Gary Phillips, TARIAN, the Southern Wales Regional Organised Crime Unit

Detective Inspector Richie Jones, Police Federation of England & Wales

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

2.1 The witnesses responded to questions from Members.

2.2 The witnesses agreed to provide the Committee with additional information about:

·         actions being taken by police forces across Wales to prevent the use of new psychoactive substances;

·         actions being taken by relevant public services to collaborate and to co-ordinate support services for individuals who want to stop taking new psychoactive substances; and

·         an outline of any gaps in new psychoactive substances support services provided by Community Safety Partnerships.


Meeting: 06/11/2014 - Health and Social Care Committee - Fourth Assembly (Item 7)

7 Inquiry into new psychoactive substances (“legal highs”): Note from the visits held on 2 October 2014

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

7.1a The Committee noted the note of the visits held on 2 October 2014 in relation to the inquiry into new psychoactive substances (“legal highs”).


Meeting: 06/11/2014 - Health and Social Care Committee - Fourth Assembly (Item 7)

7 Inquiry into new psychoactive substances (“legal highs”): Results of the Committee's survey

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

7.3a The Committee noted the results of the Committee’s survey in relation to the inquiry into new psychoactive substances (“legal highs”).


Meeting: 06/11/2014 - Health and Social Care Committee - Fourth Assembly (Item 7)

7 Inquiry into new psychoactive substances (“legal highs”): Note from the focus group events held on 2 October 2014

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

7.2a The Committee noted the note of the focus groups held on 2 October 2014 in relation to the inquiry into new psychoactive substances (“legal highs”).


Meeting: 06/11/2014 - Health and Social Care Committee - Fourth Assembly (Item 9)

Inquiry into new psychoactive substances (“legal highs”): Consideration of evidence received

Minutes:

9.1 The Committee considered the evidence received on the inquiry.


Meeting: 06/11/2014 - Health and Social Care Committee - Fourth Assembly (Item 7)

7 Inquiry into new psychoactive substances (“legal highs”): Consultation responses

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

7.4a The Committee noted the consultation responses in relation to the inquiry into new psychoactive substances (“legal highs”).


Meeting: 06/11/2014 - Health and Social Care Committee - Fourth Assembly (Item 6)

6 Inquiry into new psychoactive substances (“legal highs”): Evidence session 4

Kathryn Peters, Community Safety Manager for Caerphilly County Borough Council

Councillor Mark Child, Trading Standards portfolio holder Swansea Council Councillor

Andrea Lewis, Swansea Council

Angela Cronin, Development Worker for Health & Wellbeing, Bridgend Youth Service

Richard Webb, Association of Chief Trading Standards Officers, Oxfordshire County Council

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

6.1 Apologies were received from Councillor Mark Child. Jackie Garland acted as substitute.

6.2 The witnesses responded to questions from Members.

6.3 Richard Webb agreed to provide further information about a toolkit that is being developed by trading standards officers on how to approach the issue of new psychoactive substances. He also agreed to provide a view in writing about the impact of the Anti-Social Behaviour Crime and Policing Act 2014 on trading standards officers’ approach to new psychoactive substances.


Meeting: 06/11/2014 - Health and Social Care Committee - Fourth Assembly (Item 5)

5 Inquiry into new psychoactive substances (“legal highs”): Evidence session 3

Joanne Davies, Assistant Director of Planning, Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board

Jamie Harris, Families Children and Young Persons Services Manager, SANDS Cymru (formerly known as Swansea Drugs Project)*

Nicola John, Director Public Health, Cwm Taf University Health Board*

Dr Julia Lewis, Consultant Addiction Psychiatrist and Clinical Lead for Addiction, Aneurin Bevan University Health Board

Dr Jonathan Whelan, Assistant Medical Director, Welsh Ambulance Service NHS Trust*

 

*Written papers have not been submitted

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

5.1 The witnesses responded to questions from Members.


Meeting: 06/11/2014 - Health and Social Care Committee - Fourth Assembly (Item 4)

4 Inquiry into new psychoactive substances (“legal highs”): Evidence session 2

Professor Philip Routledge OBE, Chair of the Programme Board, Welsh Emerging Drugs and Identification of Novel Substances (WEDINOS)

Josephine Smith, Programme Lead, WEDINOS

Dr Quentin Sandifer, Public Health Wales

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

4.1 The witnesses responded to questions from Members.

4.2 Dr Quentin Sandifer agreed to supply the Committee with additional information about how Public Health Wales engages and communicates with communities in Wales about new psychoactive substances.

4.3 The Committee agreed to write to TICTAC to seek clarification on whether they test the substances received in addition to providing visual drug identification.


Meeting: 06/11/2014 - Health and Social Care Committee - Fourth Assembly (Item 3)

3 Inquiry into new psychoactive substances (“legal highs”): Evidence session 1

Jeremy Sare, Angelus Foundation

Maryon Stewart, Angelus Foundation

Harry Shapiro, DrugScope

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

3.1 Apologies were received from Maryon Stewart.

3.2 The witnesses responded to questions from Members.


Meeting: 24/09/2014 - Health and Social Care Committee - Fourth Assembly (Item 5)

Inquiry into new psychoactive substances (“legal highs”): Briefing from Gwent Police

Detective Chief Inspector Roger Fortey

Inspector Catherine Hawke

Sergeant Jennie Tinsley

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

5.1 The officers provided a briefing on new psychoactive substances to Members.


Meeting: 18/09/2014 - Health and Social Care Committee - Fourth Assembly (Item 11)

Inquiry into new psychoactive substances ("legal highs"): consideration of itinerary for engagement activity

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

11.1 The Committee agreed the itinerary for engagement activity for the inquiry into new psychoactive substances ("legal highs").