§ Miss McIntoshTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 2 March 2004,Official Report, column 901W, on drug testing and treatment, (1) if he will break down the number of drug treatment and testing orders issued in the York Petty Sessional Area by bench areas; [161774]
(2) what the success rate is of drug treatment and testing orders (a) in England, (b) in the York Petty Sessional Area and (c) in each bench area in the York Petty Sessional Area; [161775]
(3) how many drug treatment and testing orders have been revoked in the York Petty Sessional Area; and what the reasons were for revoking them; [161776]
(4) what the recommended timescale is for moving between the stages of sentence, initial probation appointment, commencement on programme and receiving prescription drugs. [161777]
§ Paul GogginsInformation relating to the number of Drug Treatment and Testing Orders (DTTOs) made in the York Petty Sessional Area (PSA) broken down by bench areas together with success rates of these orders and the number that have been revoked and reasons for this is not centrally available.
Data provided by probation areas to the National Probation Directorate show that in England and Wales between October 2000 and December 2003 18,397 orders were made. 16 per cent. of these were completed successfully, and 34 per cent. remained on the order. In the same period, 11,750 orders terminated, 24 per cent. of which were for successful completion.
Completion rates of DTTOs do not necessarily show the whole picture in respect of success of these orders. An evaluation of the three DTTO pilots found that, on average, offenders committed 75 per cent. fewer offences while on the order and reduced their spend on drugs by over 90 per cent. A two-year follow-up reconviction study found that there was a significant reduction in the average number of convictions per year in the two years following the order in all three pilot sites.
1425WIn respect of DTTOs, the timescales for first contact with the probation service and treatment provider are determined by the Home Office National Standards for the supervision of offenders in the community. These require that the first appointment with the probation area shall be arranged to take place within one working day of the order being made and contact with the treatment provider shall be arranged to take place within two working days of the order.
No recommendation is made in respect of commencement on any specific programme, nor in respect of prescribing substitute drugs; this is determined on an individual basis following assessment and is dependent upon the treatment needs of the offender. Contact, including treatment, across all requirements of the orders is expected to be on five days per week, for a total of 20 hours per week, for the first 13 weeks of the order.