HC Deb 03 May 1984 vol 59 cc237-8W
Mr. McNamara

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many service men have been (a) charged with drug offences since 1978 and (b) discharged as a result of drug offences; and in each case what was the parent service of each service man.

Mr. Stanley

The number of service personnel charged with drug offences from 1978 to 1983 inclusive, and of those discharged as a result, is as follows:

Royal Navy and Royal Marines Army Royal Air Force
Numbers charged with drug offences 223 †377 130
Number dischargedt‡ ║8 353 109
This figure does not include 1978, when no central record was kept, nor 1981 to 1983 inclusive, for which central records are not yet available.
† This figure represents the number of Army personnel convicted of drug offences by courts martial or civil courts or who were dealt with summarily by commanding officers. The Army does not keep central records of all personnel charged with, as opposed to convicted of, particular offences: there would therefore be an unknown additional number of personnel charged, but not convicted.
‡This includes those discharged by courts martial and those discharged administratively. Records for the latter do not distinguish between drug offences and cases of drug abuse.
║This figure does not include 1978, when no central record was kept, nor 1981 to 1982 inclusive, for which central records are not yet available.

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