§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what tests are currently applied to ascertain if a motorist has been taking cannabis; and if he is satisfied that this is a fair and accurate test.
§ Mr. BrittanIn those cases where the police decide to submit a sample to a forensic science laboratory, tests are carried out to determine whether the sample contains the active components of cannabis and to identify those components. These tests are based on the use of an antibody artificially produced in sheep which reacts only to the active constituents of cannabis and compounds produced from them by the body. Radioactive isotope and high performance liquid chromatography form an integral part of the method. We are advised that the tests are specific, accurate and re-578W producible and show conclusively whether a person has taken cannabis.
§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he intends to adopt any new measures to test whether motorists have been taking cannabis.
§ Mr. BrittanScientific methods of determining the presence of cannabis in body fluids are kept under review and new analytical techniques are assessed from time to time to determine their scientific reliability and performance.