§ Mr. Nicholas Brownasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish figures relating to reported cases of drug abuse in East Newcastle since 1974; and if he is able to give the information by local government ward or other convenient sub-division.
§ Mr. MellorInformation about offenders dealt with for offences involving controlled drugs and notified drug addicts is published annually in a Home Office Statistical Bulletin "Statistics of the Misuse of Drugs in the United Kingdom". Corresponding information for east Newcastle could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Statistics for the Northumbria police force area are given in the table below. Figures for 1983 are not yet available.
Narcotic drug addicts notified* to the Home Office, the number of addicts recorded as receiving notifiable drugs in treatment of their addiction at 31 December and the number of persons sentenced or cautioned for, offences under drugs legislation and other offences where controlled drugs were involved.
Northumbria 1974–82 Number of persons Year New addicts notified during year Former addicts notified during year Addicts recorded at 31 December Persons sentenced or cautioned 1974 17 6 38 138 1975 9 6 31 101 1976 5 4 22 113 1977 7 8 25 115 1978 5 8 22 105 1979 3 3 25 181 1980 6 5 27 124 1981 10 10 34 206 1982 13 6 41 176 * Doctors are required to notify the Chief Medical Officer at the Home Office of persons whom they consider, or believe, to be addicted to any of the following drugs: Cocaine, Dextromoramide, Diamorphine (heroin), Dipipanone, Hydrocodone, Hydromorphine, Levorphanol, Methadone, Morphine, Opium, Oxycodone, Pethidine, Phenazocine or Piritramide.