§ 22. Mr. PickthallTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about the current level of drug abuse within prisons. [28419]
§ Mr. Michael ForsythAny level of drug abuse in prison is unacceptable; the presence of drugs leads to violence, bullying and intimidation and undermines regimes. Tackling drug abuse is one of the four key priorities for the Prison Service for this year. The new 393W mandatory drug testing programme will provide routine and detailed monitoring of the level and type of drug misuse in prison.
A wide range of measures are being taken up to prevent drugs from entering prisons. These include the increased use of drug dogs; more effective searching of prisoners, staff and visitors; the use of closed-circuit television cameras during visits; and the imposition of closed visits for prisoners found guilty of drug offences in prison.
All Prison Service establishments provide detoxification, education and counselling facilities to prisoners with drug misuse problems via the health care centre, probation department or community drug agencies. This year the Prison Service will be substantially expanding the number and type of drug treatment programmes. These will include: therapeutic communities; three-month treatment programmes; detoxification units; intensive counselling and education services; and community-linked throughcare programmes.
§ 25. Lady Olga MaitlandTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to counter drug taking in prisons. [28422]
§ Mr. ForsythReducing the level of drug misuse is one of the four key priorities in the Prison Service this year. The Prison Service's strategy requires all prison governors to implement local strategies directed at the reduction of the misuse of drugs.