§ Dr. Lynne JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how may drug and related finds by type of drug were made in gaols in England and Wales in each year since 1990.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythResponsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to he given.
Letter front Derek Lewis to Dr. Lynne Jones, dated 24 February 1995:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about how many drug and related finds by type of drug were made in jails in England and Wales in each year since 1990.Information on drug finds was not recorded centrally until 25 September 1990.The tables below list the drug and related finds for the calendar years 1991, 1992, 1993 and 1994.358W
Items 1991 1992 1993 1994 Heroin 72 99 158 348 Cocaine 50 65 65 108 LSD 12 32 41 49 Amphetamines 23 36 71 119 Barbiturates 22 24 30 69
Items 1991 1992 1993 1994 Cannabis 2,333 2,081 3,388 4,850 Cannabis Plant 80 81 158 242 Crack 3 4 4 10 Other 101 183 203 403 Authentic Syringe 92 156 228 275 Improvised Syringe 57 41 79 168 Authentic Needle 21 16 27 64 Improvised Needle 3 7 2 9 Pipe(s) 445 317 417 595 Roach 72 56 117 185 Total 3,386 3,198 4,988 7,494 It should be noted that increases in the numbers of finds may reflect more effective searching, as a result of the priority being given to the control of drugs, and are not necessarily an indication that there has been a corresponding increase in the presence of drugs.