Amy’s father is telling MPs how to improve treatment for drug addicts.

Mitch Winehouse has fought with his daughter over drug addiction, wept in the street at her choice of partner and even called for her to be sectioned under the Mental Health Act. Now Mitch is using his experience as the father of Britain's most famous rehab star, Amy Winehouse, to speak about the trials and tribulations of supporting a drug addict daughter and to call for more funding for rehab clinics.

Tuesday's Common's Select Committee session that Mitch attended was the third evidence session in the Committee's inquiry into the Cocaine Trade. The session covered the debate on drug regularisation, attractions of drug taking, the impact of addiction on family and friends, and the options for rehabilitation. The Chairman of the Committee, Rt Hon Keith Vaz MP, said: "We are particularly pleased that Mitch Winehouse, the father of Amy, has agreed to share with us research for a current documentary on the damaging effects of drug abuse on families, and of the effectiveness of drug rehabilitation."

Mitch has been by Amy's side throughout her battle with drugs, and her hospitalisations. Whilst filming for a Channel 4 documentary which focuses on the damaging effects of drug abuse on families, and the effectiveness of drug rehabilitation, Mitch detailed his daughter's lowest points while the media was revelling in her downfall: "They didn't see her lying in bed for days in a dark room. She was close to death twice. We have been working a lot to get her to where she is right now."

Giving evidence to the Committee, Mitch highlighted the gulf between celebrities who can afford to check into the Priory and people who cannot get help. He said: "Obviously I wouldn't be in this position, with politicians and parents of addicts phoning me up, if it wasn't for who I am. But this goes far beyond the celebrity drug culture. If you can afford to pay to go into the Priory or somewhere like that, you're going to get the finest treatment and the best results. But if you can't afford to pay, what do you do then?"

Mitch also detailed what he would like to see happen: "Hopefully it's going to open people's eyes to what's going on. Last year the Government spent £400 million on drug rehabilitation, and yet if anybody wants to come off drugs voluntarily there's very little help available to them. Anecdotally, people have actually committed crimes because it's the only hope of getting any kind of rehab at all."