HC Deb 17 January 1992 vol 201 cc684-6W
Mr. Rathbone

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps are being taken to control rave parties and young people's clubs where ecstasy use is likely.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

The police have adequate powers to deal with parties of this sort, including common law powers to deal with a breach of the peace or public nuisance. In addition, the Entertainments (Increased Penalties) Act 1990 has significantly increased the penalties for people convicted of providing music without a licence, where one is required, or being in breach of the condition of such a licence. Any law breaking on such premises, including the misuse of drugs, will of course be dealt with by the police.

Mr. Rathbone

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many deaths from use of ecstasy and similar drugs were recorded for each of the past five years and for that part of 1991 for which statistics are available.

Mr. John Patten

The number of deaths mentioning dependence, abuse or poisoning with MDMA—"ecstasy"—and similar drugs registered in England and Wales are as follows:

Number of deaths registered
England and Wales 1986 1987 1988 1989 11990 31991
Deaths attributable to: MDMA (ie ecstasy) or MDA — — 1 3 1 2
Amphetamine (not further described) 3 3 1 2 2 8
Other hallucinogens — 1 — 2 — 2—
Deaths which also mention the above in combination with other drugs 4 4 4 2 2 2—
Total 7 8 6 9 5 2—

Source: Office of Population Censuses and Surveys.

1 Provisional.

2 Not available.

3 Figures for 1991 only include deaths registered up to September 1991. Deaths of this nature result in an inquest thus delays of registration of up to one year may occur.

Mr. Rathbone

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what reports of ecstacy use have been identified by local teams operating within the drugs prevention initiative.

Mr. John Patten

Fourteen of the 16 local drugs prevention teams have received such reports concerning MDMA—"Ecstasy".

Mr. Rathbone

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information about the drug ecstasy has been passed to police forces in order to assist analysis of material which has been seized and to pass warning information on to those in contact with potential users.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

Drugs seized by police forces are sent to the Forensic Science Service, or in the case of the Metropolitan police, their own laboratories, who have the necessary expertise to identify them.

With regard to the provision of warning information for those in contact with potential users, I will write to my hon. Friend separately.

Mr. Rathbone

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is being done through the Pompidou group of European countries to control and reduce the international trade in ecstasy and similar drugs and in the chemicals used to make them.

Mr. John Patten

The report of the G7 chemical action task force adopted by the London Economic summit in July 1991, recommended that the four main precursors used in the manufacture of MDMA—"ecstasy"—should be brought under control. This recommendation is being implemented in the European Community by an amendment to Council (EEC) Regulation 3677/90 and a draft Council directive, which are currently before the Council. The Pompidou Group will hold an expert meeting in March to consider how this and the other task force recommendations can be implemented most effectively at the wider European level; and I have asked the British representative in the Pompidou Group to ask the group to consider what further measures might be taken to curb the international trade in this and similar drugs.

Mr. Rathbone

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been done to inform local drugs prevention initiative teams about ecstasy, its symptoms and its harmful effects.

Mr. John Patten

Each local team has been provided with a copy of "Drug abuse briefing", issued by the Institute for the Study of Drug Dependence, which includes information about the symptoms and harmful effects of a wide-range of drugs, including MDMA—"ecstasy".