§ Ms LynneTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research his Department has commissioned into the supply of illegal drugs to prison inmates by prison staff; and what plans he has to make a further evaluation of the extent of such smuggling and to adopt policies to reduce its occurrence. [29680]
§ Miss WiddecombeResponsibility 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 Ms Liz Lynne, dated 22 May 1996:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about research which has been commissioned into the supply of illegal drugs to prisoners by prison staff; for further evaluation of the extent of such smuggling; and the policies which have been adopted to reduce its occurrence.Centrally-held records show that no members of staff have been disciplined for trafficking in drugs since the introduction of the new Prison Service Code of Conduct and Discipline in July 1993. No research has been commissioned into the smuggling of drugs by staff and there are no plans to undertake any. Governors have the discretion to search staff on entry to the prison. Staff searches should also be a part of local searching strategies.
§ Mr. George HowarthTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer to the hon. and learned Member for Montgomery (Mr. Carlile) on 10 May,Official Report, column 306, (i) how many prisoners were tested for drugs in each month since February 1995; [29873]
(2) how many prisoners have tested positive for each type of drug, in each month since February 1995. [29819]
§ Miss WiddecombeResponsibility for these matters 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. George Howarth, dated 2 May 1996:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Questions about the number of prisoners tested for drugs and the numbers tested positive for each drug in each month since February 1995.Tables setting out the number of tests conducted each month (Table A) and the numbers tested positive for each drug (Table B) under the random testing programme are attached. Results for other forms of mandatory drug testing are not yet centrally collated.243W
Table A: Mandatory drug testing random testing programme: numbers tested February 1995 to February 1996 Month Number tested 1995 February 207 March 319 April 324 May 239 June 342 July 317 August 191 September 521 October 717
Table B: Mandatory drug testing random programme: prisoners tested positive for each type of drug February 1995 to February 1996 Month Cannabis Opiates Cocaine Amphetamines Benzodiazepines Methadone Barbiturates LSD 1995 February 70 5 0 0 3 0 0 0 March 111 5 1 0 5 0 0 0 April 106 14 1 0 12 1 1 0 May 75 8 1 0 2 0 0 0 June 95 11 0 0 7 0 0 0 July 110 11 2 0 6 0 0 0 August 53 2 0 0 2 0 0 0 September 142 36 8 0 18 0 0 0 October 242 66 7 0 29 4 0 0 November 236 58 1 1 22 0 0 0 December 273 74 6 1 30 3 0 0 1996 January 618 148 5 0 60 5 0 0 February 791 178 6 5 82 2 2 0 Total 2,922 616 33 7 278 12 3 0 Because prisoners may test positive for more than one drug, the total number of drug positive is greater than the number of prisoners found positive. Checking of statistical returns for January and February 1996 has revealed a number of errors. Error checking continues and this data must be regarded as provisional.