§ Mr. Norman Hoggasked the Solicitor-General for Scotland whether any arrangements exist in Scotland in cases where controlled drugs are to be presented as evidence in a trial whereby the bulk of the quantity of the drug confiscated may be destroyed and a sample amount held for production, together with a certificate indicating the precise quantity originally confiscated.
§ The Solicitor-Generalfor Scotland: Under existing law and practice, the Crown must lodge all productions required for trial unless it is not reasonably practicable to do so. In serious drugs cases the Crown therefore lodges recovered drugs in their entirety.
§ Mr. Norman Hoggasked the Solicitor-General for Scotland if he will make a statement on the operation in Scotland of the present system for holding controlled drugs required for production as evidence in trials.
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§ The Solicitor-General for ScotlandControlled drugs required for production in court may be held by the police, officers of Customs and Excise, the procurator fiscal or the clerk of court, depending upon the stage reached in pretrial procedure and security considerations.
§ Mr. Norman Hoggasked the Solicitor-General for Scotland what arrangements exist in Scotland for the destruction of controlled drugs confiscated from people who have committed or are alleged to have committed drugs offences.
§ The Solicitor-General for ScotlandDrugs forfeited as a result of Court, proceedings are destroyed by the police on behalf of the Court authorities to whom a certificate of destruction is subsequently provided.