§ Mr. CoxTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many specialist drug counsellors are working in prisons in England and Wales. [31701]
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§ 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 be given.
Letter from A. J. Butler to Mr. Tom Cox, dated 5 July 1995:
The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about how many specialist drug counsellors are working in prisons in England and Wales.The Prison Service does not keep central records of the number of specialist drug counsellors working in prisons. A survey of 130 prisons conducted during December 1994 showed that 102 prisons provided specialist individual counselling for prisoners with drug misuse problems.Individual counselling services are provided by community drug agencies, probation officers, prison psychologists and prison officers with counselling qualifications or experience.This year the Prison Service is expanding the number and type of treatment programmes available to drug misusers. These include therapeutic communities; 3-month treatment programmes; detoxification units; intensive counselling and education services; and community-linked throughcare programmes. The first phase is being implemented in thirteen establishments with a further twelve by April 1996. The majority of these programmes will be provided by outside drug agencies under contract to the Prison Service. This initiative will increase the level of specialist drug counsellors working in prisons and will provide live training opportunities for prison staff.In addition, all establishments are reviewing their local drug strategies with the aim of improving the coordination of local services for drug misusers.