§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many doses of medicinal drugs have been issued to prisoners in British gaols in each of the past five years; and how many were(a) analgesics, (b) anti-depressants and (c) other drugs; [36311]
(2) how many prisoners have (a) died and (h) become seriously ill following the use of (i) illegal drugs, (ii) legal drugs and (iii) medicinal drugs in each British gaol in each of the last five years. [36328]
§ Miss Widdecombe[holding answer 10 July 1996]: Responsibility 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 Richard Tilt to Mr. Paul Flynn, dated 11 July 1996:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Questions about medicinal drugs issued to prisoners in British jails and deaths in British jails following the use of illegal and legal drugs.Information on doses of medicinal drugs issued to prisoners is not available could be provided only at disproportionate cost.Information on the number of prisoners who have died or became seriously ill following the use of drugs is not available in the form requested, however the number of self-inflicted deaths in prisons in England and Wales where drugs were involved during the last five years are as follows:
- 1991–92: 4
- 1992–93: 2
- 1993–94: 1
- 1994–95: 3
- 1995–96: 2
Information for Scotland and Northern Ireland is a matter for the Secretaries of State for those Departments.