HC Deb 18 November 2003 vol 413 c829W
Mr. Hepburn

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were arrested for drug offences in(a) Tyne and Wear, (b) the North East and (c) the UK in each year since 1997. [138433]

Caroline Flint

Information on the number of persons arrested for notifiable offences is collected at police force area level only. Available data on the number of persons arrested for drugs offences within Northumbria police force area and the North East region are given in the table for the years 1999–2000 to 2001–02. Information for earlier years is not available on a consistent basis. Statistics for 2002–03 will be available later this year.

Figures for Scotland and Northern Ireland are matters for the Scottish Parliament and the Northern Ireland Assembly respectively.

Number of persons arrested for drug offences in Northumbria

police force area, the North East region and England and Wales

Northumbria

police force area

North East

region1

England and

Wales

1999–2000 4,719 28,300 221,200
2000–01 4,831 28,000 2111,300
2001–02 5,473 29,300 2116,600
1North East region comprises of Northumbria, Durham and Cleveland police force areas.
2 Estimated. Durham data not supplied.