§ Mr. RathboneTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the detailed arrangements for drugs rehabilitation services which have been put in place in the mandatory drugs testing prisons in England and Wales; and what measurements of efficiency are being made. [39811]
§ Miss WiddecombeResponsibility 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 Mr. Richard Tilt to Mr. Tim Rathbone, dated 30 October 1995:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question on the arrangements for drugs rehabilitation services which have been put in place in the mandatory drugs testing prisons in England and Wales; and what measurements of efficiency are being made.
By the end of the year all prisons will have developed a local drugs strategy which will include arrangements to identify individuals with drug problems and the provision of treatment, counselling and support. The strategy will include a timed implementation plan with performance measures and monitoring arrangements. The local strategy will form part of a prison governor's contract with his/her area manager and will be subject to audit.
In addition, the Prison Service is substantially expanding the number and type of drug treatment programmes and services. The first phase of expansion involves 13 pilot projects spread over 22 establishments. The projects include therapeutic communities, dedicated treatment units, detoxification, education, counselling and throughcare. We aim to have let the contracts for all these projects by the end of the year. They will be subject to independent evaluation over an 18 month period and the results will inform the future provision of drug treatment programmes throughout the Service. Proposals for 29 establishments to be included in the second phase of the pilot drug treatment programmes have been received and will be implemented during 1996.
Mandatory drug testing (MDT) is being introduced to all establishments in a rolling programme which will be completed by the end of March 1996. All prisons introducing MDT are required first to send staff to attend a Prison Service drugs strategy course and to develop supportive responses to those prisoners who test positive. An evaluation programme to examine the longer-term impact of MDT has already been established.