§ Dr. Lynne JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many drug and related finds by type of drug were made in women's gaols in England and Wales in each year since 1990.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythResponsibility 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 Derek Lewis to Dr. Lynne Jones, dated 9 March 1995:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about how many drug and related finds by type of drug were made in women's jails in England and Wales in each year since 1990.Information drug finds was not recorded centrally until 25 September 1990.The table below lists the drug and related finds in women's jails for the calendar years 1991, 1992, 1993 and 1994.
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Items 1991 1992 1993 1994 Heroin 5 4 10 36 Cocaine 4 6 4 6 LSD 0 0 5 2 Amphetamines 1 0 3 2 Barbiturates 0 0 4 3 Cannabis 32 27 44 58 Cannabis Plant 4 1 4 11 Crack 0 0 0 0 (2) how many husbands have applied from (a) India and (b) Pakistan for settlement visas to join their wives in each of the last three years; and how many have been (i) granted and (ii) refused.
§ Mr. Nicholas BakerThe information is given in the table.
Items 1991 1992 1993 1994 Other 3 9 10 23 Authentic syringe 3 10 23 21 Improvised syringe 0 0 0 0 Authentic needle 0 0 2 3 Improvised needle 0 0 0 0 Pipe 1 0 1 0 Roach 0 0 2 2 Total 53 57 112 167 It should be noted that increases in the numbers of finds may reflect more effective searching, as a result of the priority being given to the control of drugs, and are not necessarily an indication that there has been a corresponding increase in the presence of drugs.