§ BARONESS WOOTTON OF ABINGERMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are aware that young persons who are addicted to heroin or similar drugs and are remanded (whether on drug or other charges) to Ashford Remand Centre are left without either drugs or treatment and are liable in consequence to suffer from grave withdrawal symptoms; and what steps are being taken to deal with this situation both at Ashford and at other remand centres.]
§ The MINISTER OF STATE, HOME OFFICE (LORD STONHAM)My Lords, it is not true that persons received into custody are dealt with in the way suggested by my noble friend. Controlled withdrawal is carried out under medical supervision, by progressive reduction of dosage, substitution methods, or the use of appropriate tranquillisers, sedatives or anti-depressant drugs. I shall be glad to look into any individual case that may be of concern to my noble friend.
§ BARONESS WOOTTON OF ABINGERMy Lords, I am grateful to my noble friend for his reassurance, but I shall be glad to bring to his attention certain cases that appear to have slipped through his net. May I ask my noble friend whether he has particulars of the number of cases in remand homes of drug addicts who have been treated in the way that he describes?
§ LORD STONHAMMy Lords, I shall be glad to look into these cases when my noble friend sends them to me. I am glad also that she has given this opportunity to explode the myth that we employ "cold turkey" methods in prison. In the six months ending May 31 last there were received into all remand centres nine young persons aged 14 to 17 addicted to heroin or similar drugs and seven addicted to other drugs. Of these, six and four respectively were at Ashford. There were 183 young people received aged between 17 and 21 inclusive, of whom 183 were on heroin or similar drugs, and of these 146 were at Ashford. There were 115 addicts on other drugs, of whom 74 were at Ashford. Of the total of 298, only 118 were reported to be on drug charges.
So far as treatment is concerned for any one addicted to heroin or to the hard drugs, if the doctor considers it appropriate, a severe case is immediately put on methadone, which is then reduced over four to five days; then on largactil; then on a night sedative; then on amylobarbitone; then on vitamin support and finally, if there are any abscesses, on antibiotics. We take the utmost care and in fact our lads do extremely well. We get hardly any who are severely addicted. In fact, in the last 12 months at Ashford methadone has been used in only one case.
§ BARONESS WOOTTON OF ABINGERMy Lords, I am grateful to by noble friend for that reassuring information. I hope that he will accept my assurance that the last thing I wanted to imply was that we were applying "cold turkey" treatment deliberately. My noble friend will understand that the implication—
§ THE LORD PRIVY SEAL (LORD SHACKLETON)My Lords, I am sorry to interrupt my noble friend. Discussion of the Question is beginning to turn into a debate. Perhaps the noble Baroness would care to ask, "Whether the noble Lord is aware …"
§ BARONESS WOOTTON OF ABINGERMy Lords, may I ask my noble friend whether he is aware that there is No implication that "cold turkey" treatment is deliberate, but that it is possible some cases may escape notice by accident?
§ LORD STONHAMMy Lords, I cannot possibly discount the possibility that 121 some cases may slip by. I shall be glad to look at the cases my noble friend has referred to, but I should be very surprised if any of them have slipped by; we take so much care in this matter.
§ LORD DERWENTMy Lords, may I ask the noble Lord whether the doctors who deal with drug addicts at these remand centres are all experts in treating drug addicts, or whether they are general practitioners only?
§ LORD STONHAMMy Lords, in these particular centres, which are very large and have special responsibilities, the medical practitioners are highly qualified. Usually we have a full-time senior medical officer there.
§ LORD DERWENTMy Lords, I must have phrased my question badly. Are they specialists in drug addiction?
§ LORD STONHAMMy Lords, I cannot say that they are consultants, but they are specialists in the sense that to a very great degree they do nothing else but this work. They have access to consultants' advice if it is necessary.
§ LORD GRIDLEYMy Lords, can the noble Lord give any information as to whether the police or Home Office are receiving any information about the peddling of drugs or the smuggling of drugs?
§ LORD STONHAMMy Lords, that is another question—one which I shall be pleased to answer if the noble Lord will put it down.