HC Deb 31 July 1974 vol 878 cc218-9W
Mr. Knox

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number for each of the past five years of convictions for illegal possession of narcotics in Great Britain.

Dr. Summerskill

Taking the term "narcotic" as meaning any substance controlled under the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs 1961—the corresponding United Kingdom legislation was the Dangerous Drugs Act 1965—the figures are as follows:

Year Number of Convictions
1968 3,367
1969 4,846
1970 7,154
1971 8,661
1972 12,133

I regret that figures for 1973 are not yet available.