§ Ms RuddockTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the estimated cost of the introduction of drug testing in prisons for the year 1994–95 and for each of the next four years.
§ Mr. Peter LloydResponsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from A. J. Butler to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated 26 May 1994:
The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about the estimated cost of drug testing in prisons.It is not possible at this stage to estimate the cost of drug testing over the next four or five years. This will depend on a number of factors, such as the number and frequency of tests, which will be addressed in pilot schemes which we plan to conduct later this year.