HC Deb 25 January 2001 vol 361 cc719-20W
Mr. Peter Bottomley

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 17 January 2001,Official Report, column 272W, which prisons do not have a significant known level of dealing in unlawful drugs. [146713]

Mr. Boateng

Covert activity such as drug dealing is by nature very difficult to quantify. Figures from the random mandatory drug testing (RMDT) programme provide the best available measure of the levels of drug misuse. The table lists the establishments reporting rates of positive RMDT of less than five per cent. during each of the last two financial years.

Establishments producing rates of positive random mandatory drug testing of less than 5 per cent. during the last two financial years
Establishment April 1999 to March 2000 April 2000 to November 2000
Albany 0.0 1.1
Blantyre House 0.7 2.2
Cookham Wood 0.6 2.5
Dartmoor 3.0 2.3
Downview 2.5 3.5
East Sutton Park 0.9 2.9
Grendon 3.9 4.4
Haslar 1.0 3.5
Lancaster Farms 3.2 4.6
Moorland 3.3 3.1
Parkhurst 1.6 4.5
Rochester 3.2 2.9
Swinfen Hall 2.8 3.2
Usk/Prescoed 4.0 2.0
Verne 3.5 3.4
Wakefield 1.8 3.3
Werrington 4.0 4.7
Whatton 0.9 3.1

Mr. Peter Bottomley

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 17 January 2001,Official Report, column 272W, in which prisons (a) a governor grade manager and (b) another member of staff have been charged under (i) section 8 of the Misuse Drugs Act 1971 and (ii) other provisions with supplying prisoners with illegal drugs. [146714]

Mr. Boateng

The Prison Service records available for the last two years show that no staff directly employed by the Service have been charged under section 8 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. The Prison Service records for this period also show that six members of staff have been charged with other drug related offences.

Mr. Peter Bottomley

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 17 January 2001,Official Report, column 272W, if (a) he and (b) his officials have consulted the Crown Prosecution Service about the potential liability of management grade officers to prosecution under section 8 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. [146719]

Mr. Boateng

Prison Service Staff would be liable to prosecution under section 8 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 only if they took no action to stop illegal activities involving controlled drugs. I am satisfied that prisons operate effective strategies for preventing, as far as possible, the smuggling and using of drugs. Consultation with the Crown Prosecution Service is therefore unnecessary.