Funding setback for treatment agencies

Drug agencies are disappointed with the drug treatment budget for 2006-7, announced by the government last week.

The National Treatment Agency has been allocated 385m in central government funding to distribute to local partnerships. This is a 28 per cent increase on the budget for 2005-6, but the government had promised a 42 per cent rise.

Lord Victor Adebowale, chief executive of charity Turning Point, said a 42 per cent rise “would have ensured more effective service delivery”.