Singer’s father in rehab call to MPs

Mitch Winehouse discussed plans to address a gap in treatment services and drugs policy with Crime Minister James Brokenshire and Keith Vaz, chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee.

Shortly after his daughter’s death, Mr Winehouse said that he wanted to do something in her name for addicts who could not afford private treatment.

After the meeting in the Houses of Parliament, Mr Winehouse said he wanted to “keep busy” adding: “I want to involve myself in things that would be important to Amy.

“That is why we are going to be setting up the Amy Winehouse Foundation,” he said. “This isn’t only important to me, this is important to our whole country.

“There’s hundreds of thousands of young people in situations today that could be avoided, and these are our future policemen, doctors and lawyers and solicitors, that we could help. We need to be able to help our children.”

Winehouse, 27, was found dead at her flat in north London on July 23. Her multiple Grammy award-winning album Back To Black topped the UK album charts last night and five of her singles are in the top 40, including the single Back To Black at number eight.

Mr Vaz said that Mr Winehouse “spoke from his heart” during the meeting and promised the select committee would look at the issue of rehabilitation again.

He said it seemed the “level of support is not there” after Britain’s only NHS rehabilitation centre for young people – in Nettleton, Lincolnshire – closed last year.

He said: “Mitch Winehouse and I had a 45-minute meeting today and at the start of the meeting I expressed my and the committee’s deep condolences to him and the family on the terrible, tragic death of Amy, who was a great British musician.

“Two years ago Mitch gave very powerful evidence to the Home Affairs Select Committee about the lack of facilities available for those going into residential care who need to be rehabilitated.

“And that evidence struck a chord with the committee and we made a number of recommendations to the Government about funding.”

Because of Winehouse’s battles with drink and drugs, there is speculation her death was related to one or the other.

But Mr Winehouse said he believed the shock to her fragile system when his daughter decided to stop drinking may have caused her death. Her father has she had “just completed three weeks of abstinence”.

A post-mortem examination proved inconclusive and an inquest was opened and adjourned with no cause of death given.

50pc cut in funds for treatment

Some areas have seen Government funding cuts of up to 50 per cent for drug rehabilitation, according to Simon Antrobus, head of treatment provider Addaction.

These cuts are not specifically for specialist rehabilitation centres for young people, as there are none, but to community-based services.

“The result is a significant reduction in the support we can offer,” said Mr Antrobus.

He said there was a need to ensure that specialist support remains available for everyone.