HC Deb 06 November 1995 vol 265 cc568-9W
Mr. Cox

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the number of persons in the last 12 months who have been caught trying to take illegal drugs into prison while visiting an inmate. [41859]

Miss Widdecombe

Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the temporary Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from Richard Tilt to Mr. Tom Cox, dated 6 November 1995: The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the number of persons in the last 12 months who have been caught trying to take illegal drugs into prison while visiting an inmate. Between 1 January and 30 September this year, the total number of incidents reported to Prison Service headquarters of visitors caught trying to take illegal drugs into prison while visiting an inmate was 1,109.