§ Mrs. FyfeTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will carry out an annual survey on the extent of drug misuse in Scotland.
§ Mr. StewartBecause the unauthorised possession and supply of many addictive drugs is an illicit activity, there are obvious difficulties in producing accurate figures of the number of drug misusers in Scotland on a recurring basis. Among other indicators, however, the Scottish drug misuse database, which was established in 1990, is contributing increasingly to current knowledge of drug misuse prevalence, and the scope for its further development is kept under review. Research also has an important role and relevant projects are commissioned and funded as appropriate.