Drugs (Hansard, 1 November 1990)

§ Mr. Dewar
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many prosecutions for(a) supply and (b) possession of controlled drugs have taken place in Scotland in each of the last 10 years; and how many have resulted in conviction.

§ Mr. Rifkind
The available information is given in the table:

Drugs offences in Scotland 1985–89

Supply Possession

Year Persons proceeded against Charge proved Persons proceeded against Charge proved

1985 302 234 2,511 2,230

1986 362 269 2,572 2,275

1987 414 320 2,357 2,134

1988 408 314 2,021 1,837

1989¹ 491 370 1,998 1,801

'Provisional.

Prior to 1985 figures for the supply and possession of drugs were not separately identifiable within the Scottish Home and Health Department's classification of crimes and offences.

§ Mr. Dewar
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people have appeared in the High Court charged with drug offences for each of the last five years and in the most recent period for which records are available; and what percentages these figures represent of the total number of appearances in the High Court for all offences.

§ Mr. Rifkind
The available information is given in the table:

Persons called to High Court charged with drugs offences 1985–89

Year Persons called to court Percentage of all persons called to court whose main crime or offence related to drugs

1985 281 27

1986 246 23

1987 206 19

1988 154 16

¹1989 131 14

¹Provisional

Section 23 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 relates to obstructing the police in pursuance of their lawful duty. Persons charged under this section are not separately identifiable within the Scottish Home and Health Department classification of crimes and offences and are not therefore included in the figures.

§ Mr. Dewar
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many offences under the Misuse of Drugs Act have been dealt with by Glasgow district court in each of the last 10 years, and in the most recent period for which figures are available.

§ Mr. Rifkind
The available information is given in the table:
719W

Persons called to Glasgow district court for offences under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971

Year Persons called to court

1980 0

1981 0

1982 4

1983 0

1984 1

1985 98

1986 494

1987 377

1988 65

¹1989 8

¹ Provisional.

Section 23 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 relates to obstructing the police in pursuance of their lawful duty.

Central Dumfries and Galloway Fife Grampian Lothian and Borders Northern Strathclyde Tayside Scotland

Crimes and offences recorded by the police, Scotland 1979^{1 2}

Total crimes and offences 28,398 17,934 31,779 50,604 116,828 27,104 351,269 50,039 673,955

Total crimes 13,344 4,835 14,257 22,821 62,502 8,711 195,485 24,225 346,680

Violence against the person 223 53 191 407 516 205 4,064 577 6,236

Housebreaking³ 2,854 975 2,776 3,763 12,826 1,385 48,202 3,954 76,635

Theft 6,853 2,227 7,323 11,597 34,493 4,451 95,344 12,200 174,488

Fraud and forgery 544 334 835 1,080 4,853 529 6,221 1,152 15,548

Criminal damage 2,845 999 2,417 4,624 7,635 1,432 31,253 4,924 56,129

Other crimes 525 247 715 1,350 2,179 809 10,401 1,418 17,644

Total offences 14,554 13,099 17,522 27,783 54,326 18,393 155,784 25,814 322,275

Crimes and offences recorded by the police, Scotland 1989

Total crimes and offences 44,493 18,514 53,411 76,538 141,039 32,591 465,187 70,258 902,031

Total crimes 21,066 6,733 27,690 34,034 78,301 11,841 275,134 38,586 493,385

Violence against the person 716 210 695 795 3,074 330 7,202 955 13,977

Housebreaking³ 3,928 1,147 5,826 5,097 13,462 1,375 55,559 7,333 93,727

Theft 9,110 2,784 12,035 15,073 36,079 4,765 136,704 16,269 232,819

Fraud and forgery 1,036 416 1,324 1,804 4,742 813 12,002 1,915 24,052

Criminal damage 4,340 1,424 5,239 7,850 10,658 2,512 40,012 7,017 79,052

Other crimes 1,936 752 2,571 3,415 10,286 2,046 23,655 5,097 49,758

Total offences 23,427 11,781 25,721 42,504 62,738 20,750 190,053 31,672 408,646

¹ The figures in the tables are based on the revised classification of crimes and offences which was introduced at the beginning of 1980.

² The 1979 figures include crimes reported to the Procurator Fiscal by agencies other than the police (for example the Department of Health and Social Security) in which a prosecution was taken.

³ In Scotland, information is collected on "housebreaking", rather than "burglary".

Drugs offences in Scotland 1985–89
	Supply	Possession
Year	Persons proceeded against	Charge proved	Persons proceeded against	Charge proved
1985	302	234	2,511	2,230
1986	362	269	2,572	2,275
1987	414	320	2,357	2,134
1988	408	314	2,021	1,837
1989¹	491	370	1,998	1,801
'Provisional.
Prior to 1985 figures for the supply and possession of drugs were not separately identifiable within the Scottish Home and Health Department's classification of crimes and offences.

Persons called to High Court charged with drugs offences 1985–89
Year	Persons called to court	Percentage of all persons called to court whose main crime or offence related to drugs
1985	281	27
1986	246	23
1987	206	19
1988	154	16
¹1989	131	14
¹Provisional

Persons called to Glasgow district court for offences under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
Year	Persons called to court
1980	0
1981	0
1982	4
1983	0
1984	1
1985	98
1986	494
1987	377
1988	65
¹1989	8
¹ Provisional.

	Central	Dumfries and Galloway	Fife	Grampian	Lothian and Borders	Northern	Strathclyde	Tayside	Scotland
Crimes and offences recorded by the police, Scotland 1979^{1 2}
Total crimes and offences	28,398	17,934	31,779	50,604	116,828	27,104	351,269	50,039	673,955
Total crimes	13,344	4,835	14,257	22,821	62,502	8,711	195,485	24,225	346,680
Violence against the person	223	53	191	407	516	205	4,064	577	6,236
Housebreaking³	2,854	975	2,776	3,763	12,826	1,385	48,202	3,954	76,635
Theft	6,853	2,227	7,323	11,597	34,493	4,451	95,344	12,200	174,488
Fraud and forgery	544	334	835	1,080	4,853	529	6,221	1,152	15,548
Criminal damage	2,845	999	2,417	4,624	7,635	1,432	31,253	4,924	56,129
Other crimes	525	247	715	1,350	2,179	809	10,401	1,418	17,644
Total offences	14,554	13,099	17,522	27,783	54,326	18,393	155,784	25,814	322,275
Crimes and offences recorded by the police, Scotland 1989
Total crimes and offences	44,493	18,514	53,411	76,538	141,039	32,591	465,187	70,258	902,031
Total crimes	21,066	6,733	27,690	34,034	78,301	11,841	275,134	38,586	493,385
Violence against the person	716	210	695	795	3,074	330	7,202	955	13,977
Housebreaking³	3,928	1,147	5,826	5,097	13,462	1,375	55,559	7,333	93,727
Theft	9,110	2,784	12,035	15,073	36,079	4,765	136,704	16,269	232,819
Fraud and forgery	1,036	416	1,324	1,804	4,742	813	12,002	1,915	24,052
Criminal damage	4,340	1,424	5,239	7,850	10,658	2,512	40,012	7,017	79,052
Other crimes	1,936	752	2,571	3,415	10,286	2,046	23,655	5,097	49,758
Total offences	23,427	11,781	25,721	42,504	62,738	20,750	190,053	31,672	408,646
¹ The figures in the tables are based on the revised classification of crimes and offences which was introduced at the beginning of 1980.
² The 1979 figures include crimes reported to the Procurator Fiscal by agencies other than the police (for example the Department of Health and Social Security) in which a prosecution was taken.
³ In Scotland, information is collected on "housebreaking", rather than "burglary".