Drug Treatment and Testing Order

HC Deb 25 February 1998 vol 307 c235W

Mr. Sawford

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the areas that he has chosen to pilot the proposal in the Crime and Disorder Bill[Lords] to introduce a drug treatment and testing order. [31738]

Mr. George Howarth

My hon. Friend the Member for Gateshead, East and Washington, West (Joyce Quin) announced in a speech to a conference in York organised by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Probation this afternoon that the pilots will take place under the management of Merseyside, South-East London and Gloucestershire Probation Services.

Thirty six probation areas expressed an interest in managing the pilot of the drug treatment and testing order. All the proposals were well thought out and enthusiastic and the choice was therefore far from clear-cut.