§ Mr. Barry Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Wales, what is his estimate of the number of heroin addicts in north Wales.
§ Mr. Wyn RobertsBecause of the nature of the activity it is not possible to make reliable estimates of the total numbers of heroin users in particular localities. Information available about addicts notified to the chief medical officer at the Home Office by medical practitioners in accordance with statutory requirements shows that notifications of 16 new addicts and two former addicts claiming addiction to heroin in north Wales were received during 1983. Recent research commissioned by DHSS in two urban areas suggests that the figures derived from notifications in those areas may be an under-estimate to at least a five-fold degree, although it is not clear how more generally applicable this finding may be.