Johnson: 'I lost confidence in drugs adviser' » Central Government » 24dash.com

Home Secretary Alan Johnson said today he had "lost confidence" in Professor David Nutt's ability to be his principal adviser on drugs policy.

Answering an emergency question in the Commons, Mr Johnson said he asked Prof Nutt to resign because his role was "to advise rather than criticise Government policy".

But he insisted his dismissal was "not a reflection" on the work of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) and he would be meeting other members "shortly".

Two members of the ACMD have already quit after the sacking of Prof Nutt and others are threatening to follow.

To Tory cheers, shadow home secretary Chris Grayling said the Home Secretary's decision on Friday was "the right one".

Mr Johnson said the advisory committee's work had been "invaluable" to successive governments.

Of the 21 recommendations made by the committee on cannabis policy last year, the Home Office accepted 20 and rejected just one, on classification.

A later report on ecstacy included 13 recommendations, of which the Home Office accepted 11.

"I asked Prof Nutt to resign as my principal drugs adviser not because of the work of the council but because of his failure to recognise that as chair of ACMD his role is to advise rather than criticise Government policy on drugs."

Mr Johnson recalled that in February, while awaiting publication of the Government's position on the classification of ecstacy, Prof Nutt published an article and "addressed the media on the appropriateness, or otherwise, of the Government's policy framework, expressing a view that horse riding was more dangerous than ecstacy.

"On Thursday October 29 Prof Nutt chose, without prior notification to my department, to initiate a debate on drugs policy in the national media, returning to the February decisions, and accusing my predecessor or distorting and devaluing scientific research.

"As a result, I have lost confidence in Prof Nutt's ability to be my principal adviser on drugs."

Mr Johnson said the advice of independent scientific advisers was essential to the Government.

"The role of such advisers is to provide independent advice to government based on their professional scientific expertise.

"The role of government is to consider that advice carefully, along with all other relevant factors, and for this House to endorse or reject those decisions, where appropriate."

Mr Grayling said independent advice was important. "But those who take on formal roles, with government, have to be extremely cautious about the things they say.

"Prof Nutt's comments earlier this year comparing the risks of ecstasy with horse riding were, I thought, particularly ill-judged."

But Mr Grayling said "inadequate efforts" had been made by the Government on how to deal with the work of the ACMD since issues arose in February.

There had been a "complete breakdown of confidence" between the Home Secretary and his advisors, he said.

"How on earth have you managed to get yourself in a position where you are having such an unseemly row with several leading scientists?

"Surely not enough was clearly done on the issues that emerged last February by the Home Office after Prof Nutt's controversial comments to ensure this couldn't happen again."

Mr Johnson said his predecessor Jacqui Smith wrote to Prof Nutt in February "expressing her dissatisfaction".

She made it clear that his conduct was "unacceptable" and did not expect it to happen again, he said.

"It has happened again. Prof Nutt, much to my regret - he is a man who I respect, he is very learned in his field - but he published a paper without any notification to my department at all, in contrary to the code of practice that he was appointed under...

"That was a re-run of February and I lost confidence. I didn't have a meeting with Prof Nutt."

He added: "What needed to be done needed to be done very quickly."

Meanwhile, The Home Office has announced a review of the work of its drug advisory body, it emerged today.

A former Home Office civil servant, Sir David Omand, has been asked to look at the work of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) and report by next year.

His review will look at whether the ACMD is accountable, if it is "discharging its functions" properly and if it continues to represent value for money.

It was ordered on October 13, before Home Secretary Alan Johnson sacked Professor David Nutt, but emerged only today.

A Home Office spokesman said the review was "unrelated" to the continuing row.