THE "unacceptable" shortage of rehabilitation places for drug addicts in Worcestershire would end under a Conservative Government, the party said yesterday.

Mid-Worcestershire MP Peter Luff welcomed shadow Home Secretary David Davis's announcement that rehab places would increase ten-fold under the Tories.

And Mr Luff said the threat of jail for addicts who fail rehab would help beat the scourge of heroin in places like Evesham, Droitwich and Worcester.

"Under the next Conservative Government addicts will face a choice - rehabilitation, or the criminal justice system," Mr Davis told the Conservative Party conference.

"Residential rehabilitation is not a soft option. It will be under court supervision - and failure will mean prison.

"This has worked in America, and with the right powers, it can work here too. The public is protected. The addict is encouraged to go straight - and stay straight."

Mr Luff said his experience with drug addicts in Worcestershire convinced

him of the need for more rehab places.

"I have had a lot of heroin addicts in my constituency who have not been able to get rehab," he said.

"In places like Evesham, Droitwich and Worcester, there's a huge problem.

"I knew a young man who was suitable for rehab, wanted rehab but couldn't get it and had to carry on buying heroin until a place came up. That's totally unacceptable."

Mr Davis also announced plans to carry out random drug-testing at every school in a bid to stamp out drug use at an early age.

"There is no point ducking this," Mr Luff said.

"I just don't think that people properly understand just how big a drug problem we have in Worcestershire," he added.

Later, shadow defence secretary Nicholas Soames repeated his pledge to

retain single-unit battalions, such as the Worcester and Sherwood Foresters

which faces the axe under Ministry of Defence proposals.

The Tories are committed to increasing spending on frontline defence by £2.7

billion over the next three years after making efficiency savings elsewhere.

Mr Soames told the conference yesterday: "As a result of this settlement we

will retain the infantry regiments that Labour propose to do away with, thus

ensuring that we will have enough boots on the ground to meet our demanding

commitments."

By Daniel Bentley

THE "unacceptable" shortage of rehabilitation places for drug addicts in

Worcestershire will end under a Conservative government, the party said

yesterday (wed).

Mid-Worcestershire MP Peter Luff welcomed shadow home secretary David

Davis's announcement that rehab places would increase ten-fold under the

Tories.

And Mr Luff said the threat of jail for addicts who fail rehab would help

beat the scourge of heroin in places like Evesham, Droitwich and Worcester.

"Under the next Conservative government addicts will face a choice -

rehabilitation, or the criminal justice system," Mr Davis told the

Conservative Party conference in Bournemouth.

"Residential rehabilitation is not a soft option. It will be under court

supervision - and failure will mean prison.

"This has worked in America, and with the right powers, it can work here

too. The public is protected. The addict is encouraged to go straight - and

stay straight."

Mr Luff said his experience with drug addicts in Worcestershire convinced

him of the need for more rehab places.

"I have had a lot of heroin addicts in my constituency who have not been

able to get rehab," he said.

"In places like Evesham, Droitwich ad Worcester there's a huge problem. I

knew a young man who was suitable for rehab, wanted rehab but couldn't get

it and had to carry on buying heroin until a place came up. That's totally

unacceptable."

Mr Davis also announced plans to carry out random drug-testing at every

school in a bid to stamp out drug use at an early age.

"There is no point ducking this," Mr Luff said. "Drug abuse is a problem in

our schools. One of the major themes of the conference is the need to

improve discipline in schools and drugs are a major factor.

"I don't think people understand just how big a drug problem we have in

Worcestershire," he added.

Later, shadow defence secretary Nicholas Soames repeated his pledge to

retain single-unit battalions, such as the Worcester and Sherwood Foresters

which faces the axe under Ministry of Defence proposals.

The Tories are committed to increasing spending on frontline defence by £2.7

billion over the next three years after making efficiency savings elsewhere.

Mr Soames told the conference yesterday: "As a result of this settlement we

will retain the infantry regiments that Labour propose to do away with, thus

ensuring that we will have enough boots on the ground to meet our demanding

commitments."