HC Deb 04 June 1984 vol 61 cc10-1W
Mr. Ron Davies

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons were convicted for offences connected with (a) the sale and (b) the possession of unlawful drugs in England and Wales, respectively, for each of the last five years for each of the following age categories: (i) under 18, (ii) between 18 and 25, (iii) between 25 and 35 and (iv) over 35 years.

Mr. Mellor

The available information for the years 1978 to 1982 is given in the table below. Figures for 1983 are not yet available.

Persons sentenced for unlawful supply or possession of controlled drugs by type of offence, age and country
England and Wales 1978–1982 Number of persons
Type of offence* 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982
Age England Wales Total England Wales Total England Wales Total England Wales Total England Wales Total
Under 18
Unlawful supply 35 2 37 28 2 30 29 2 31 27 2 29 36 3 39
Possession with intent to supply unlawfully 2 1 3 4 — 4 9 — 9 9 1 10 7 1 8
Unlawful possession 395 19 414 445 22 467 560 23 583 651 31 682 849 31 880
Total 406 19 425 453 23 476 572 24 596 664 32 696 864 34 898
18 and under 25
Unlawful supply 374 12 386 297 9 306 359 11 370 367 15 382 378 24 402
Possession with intent to supply unlawfully 199 3 202 167 13 180 192 6 198 198 17 215 233 14 247
Unlawful possession 5,603 207 5,810 5,192 305 5,497 5,965 367 6,332 6,468 333 6,801 7,472 445 7,917
Total 5,704 207 5,947 5,317 311 5,628 6,127 368 6,495 6,637 3340 6,977 7,684 459 8,143
25 and under 35
Unlawful supply 273 2 275 276 1 278 390 5 395 426 12 438 481 12 493
Possession with intent to supply unlawfully 228 5 233 205 9 214 241 14 255 319 12 331 344 22 366
Unlawful possession 3,741 169 3,910 4,002 209 4,211 4,754 267 5,021 5,030 270 5,300 5,320 337 5,657
Total 3,867 170 4,037 4,148 210 4,358 4,980 271 5,251 5,325 274 5,599 5,633 342 5,975
35 and over
Unlawful supply 42 2 44 48 3 51 67 — 67 116 1 117 122 2 124
Possession with intent to supply unlawfully 41 3 44 58 1 59 76 3 79 113 2 115 131 5 136
Unlawful possession 607 14 621 645 26 671 918 37 955 973 39 1,012 1,155 57 1,212
Total 638 17 655 690 28 718 995 37 1,032 1,084 40 1,124 1,264 57 1,321
All ages
Unlawful supply 724 18 742 649 16 665 845 18 863 936 30 966 1,017 41 1,058
Possession with intent to supply unlawfully 470 12 482 434 23 457 518 23 541 639 32 671 715 42 757
Unlawful possession 10,346 409 10,755 10,284 562 10,846 12,197 694 12,891 13,122 673 13,795 14,796 870 15,666
Total 10,651 413 11,064 10,608 572 11,180 12,674 700 13,374 13,710 686 14,396 15,445 892 16,337
* As the same person may be sentenced for more than one type of offence, rows cannot be added together to produce totals.