§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the extent of the use of steroids in sport in the United Kingdom. [134702]
§ Kate HoeyThere has been no formal assessment of the extent of the use of steroids in competitive sport in the United Kingdom. The UK Sport Testing Programme focuses on elite competitive sports. While this programme includes tests for anabolic agents (including anabolic steroids), its findings may include UK and non-UK athletes.
The most recent research undertaken into the use of steroids in the UK was published in 1993 and indicated that 35 per cent. of athletes attending weight training gymnasiums were found to be using anabolic steroids. This Government firmly believe that there is no place for drugs in sport and we will continue to work through UK Sport and the national governing bodies of sport to reduce doping in sport through the implementation of an effective testing programme and a comprehensive education programme.
331WThe Government spend over £1 million a year on ensuring the quality of an out of competition drug testing programme in the UK.