HC Deb 30 January 1929 vol 224 cc951-2W
Mr. C. WILSON

asked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been called to the document, O.C. 877, presented a few days ago to the Opium Advisory Committee of the League of Nations, which is now sitting in Geneva; how the 734 kilogrammes of heroin seized in Hong Kong in 1924 and brought to Great Britain for disposal were disposed of; and what quantities of this drug have when seized been disposed of during the last five years?

Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKS

Yes, Sir. The heroin referred to was sold in this country in 1924 to persons duly authorised under the Dangerous Drugs Acts and Regulations to possess heroin. The total quantity of heroin seized and brought to this country for disposal from 1924 to date was 38,549 ounces. It was all disposed of to persons licensed under the Acts.

Mr. WILSON

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what became of the 70 kilogrammes of heroin seized in Hong Kong in 1928, and the 228 kilogrammes seized in Hong Kong in 1927?

Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKS

I have been asked to reply. These two seizures were brought to this country and disposed of here to persons duly authorised under the Dangerous Drugs Acts and Regulations.

Mr. WILSON

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies why the import of raw opium from India into Hong Kong rose from 11,998 kilogrammes in 1926 to 17,089 kilogrammes in 1927; and what the consumption of Government opium amounted to for each of the last five years per head of the Chinese population of Hong Kong?

Mr. AMERY

The opium imported into Hong Kong from India in 1927 was the authorised amount under the system of restricted exports introduced by the Government of India as from that year. It was based on the average imports of the previous five years, and happened to be greater than that for 1926 because in that year imports were considerably below the average. The consumption of Government opium in Hong Kong per head of the estimated Chinese population, for the last five years for which figures are available, was:

Ounces.
1923 .51
1924 .17
1925 .31
1926 .26
1927 .39