HC Deb 05 February 1998 vol 305 cc747-50W
Sir Brian Mawhinney

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many penal institutions(a) regularly, (b) occasionally and (c) never allow drug-detecting dogs to roam during prison visit sessions; [27513]

(2) how many penal institutions have (a) more than three, (b) three, (c) two, (d) one and (e) no dogs trained to detect drugs. [27514]

Mr. George Howarth

Passive drug detection dogs were used in 28 establishments in 1997 to search visitors and staff for drugs on entry into the establishment or the visits area. Active drug dogs are used occasionally to search visits areas before or after visits. Although drug detection dogs may pass through visits areas as a deterrent during visits it is not policy to allow dogs to roam in visits areas during visiting times.

There are currently:

  • 12 establishments with more than three dogs;
  • 2 establishments with three dogs;
  • 9 establishments with two dogs;
  • 37 establishments with one dog; and
  • 75 establishments with no dogs.

Sir Brian Mawhinney

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the time elapse after which it is not possible to detect heroin in prisoners using present drug detecting equipment. [27512]

Mr. George Howarth

Using the testing processes and cut-off levels employed on behalf of the Prison Service, it is possible to determine that a positive test result was definitely due to heroin in a urine sample taken up to 12 hours after last use. Heroin degrades to morphine, which can be detected for up to seven days after last use. In these circumstances, it is not possible to be certain that heroin was the drug used.

Sir Brian Mawhinney

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the results and dates of the last three mandatory drug tests in each penal institution in England by(a) numbers tested, (b) the number of tests found positive and (c) the percentage of positive tests. [27517]

Mr. George Howarth

Figures are provided in tables for the last three mandatory drug tests undertaken at each establishment in England prior to 1 December 1997, which is the most recent period for which reliable data are available. A copy of these tables has been placed in the Library.

Sir Brian Mawhinney

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the results and dates of the last three random drug tests in each penal institution in England by(a) numbers tested, (b) the number of tests found positive and (c) the percentage of positive tests. [27516]

Mr. George Howarth

Figures are provided in tables for the last three random mandatory drug tests undertaken at each establishment in England prior to 1 December 1997, which is the most recent period for which reliable data are available. A copy of these tables has been placed in the Library.

Sir Brian Mawhinney

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list, by each penal institution in the country the number of people charged with supplying drugs to prisoners and the number found guilty in the last year for which figures are available. [27515]

Mr. George Howarth

The following table gives, for each penal institution in England and Wales, for the twelve months ending 31 December 1997, the number of visitors to prisons who were arrested by police in connection with possible drug related offences. The Prison Service does not record what action was subsequently taken by the police.

Establishment Number arrested
HMP Acklington 19
HMP Albany 2
HMP Aldington 2
HMP Ashwell 7
HMP Aylesbury 2
HMP Belmarsh 2
HMP Buckley Hall 10
HMP Blundeston 14
HMP Bedford 8
HMP Brockhill 2
HMP Bristol 8
HMP Birmingham 2

Establishment Number arrested
HMP Bullingdon 4
HMYOI Brinsford 4
HMP Blakenhurst 28
HMP Brixton 3
HMP Chelmsford 11
HMP Cardiff 43
HMP Camp Hill 8
HMP Cookham Wood 2
HMP Coldingley 1
HMYOI Castington 5
HMP Channings Wood 10
HMP Canterbury 16
HMP Dartmoor 7
HMP Durham 21
HMP Doncaster 25
HMP Dorchester 1
HMYOI Deerbolt 2
HMYOI Dover 1
HMP Erlestoke 6
HMP Everthorpe 5
HMP Exeter 13
HMP Elmley 30
HMP Frankland 8
HMYOI Feltham 130
HMP Full Sutton 8
HMP Featherstone 3
HMP Garth 34
HMP Guys Marsh 5
HMP Grendon 1
HMYOI Glen Parva 6
HMP Gartree 2
HMP Hollesley Bay 1
HMP Holme House 45
HMYOI Hindley 1
HMP Hull 14
HMP Highdown 2
HMP Highpoint 16
HMP Haverigg 13
HMP Holloway 19
HMP Kirkham 3
HMP Lancaster 4
HMP Leicester 13
HMP Leeds 42
HMYOI Lancaster Farms 27
HMP Lindholme 9
HMP Lincoln 17
HMP Long Lartin 5
HMP Liverpool 4
HMP Littlehey 4
HMP Lewes 23
HMP Moorland 18
HMP Manchester 72
HMP Maidstone 6
HMP The Mount 10
HMP Nottingham 8
HMRC Northallerton 8
HMP Norwich 28
HMYOI Onley 8
HMYOI Portland 1
HMP Parkhurst 9
HMP Preston 11
HMP Pentonville 17
HMP Rochester 1
HMRC Reading 5
HMP Ranby 8
HMP Risley 15
HMP Stafford 18
HMYOI Stoke Heath 2
HMP Stocken 5
HMP Swaleside 4
HMP Shepton Mallet 1
HMYOI Swinfen Hall 1
HMP Styal 4
HMP Swansea 9

Establishment Number arrested
HMP Shrewsbury 7
HMP The Verne 2
HMP Wellingborough 7
HMP Winchester 1
HMP Wakefield 7
HMP Wealstun 1
HMP Woodhill 25
HMP Wayland 6
HMP Wymott 4
HMP Wolds 20
HMP Whitemoor 2
HMP Wormwood Scrubs 34
HMP Wandsworth 8

Notes:

  1. 1. HMP: Her Majesty's prison
  2. 2. HMYOI: Her Majesty's Young Offender Institution.