Prisoners (Drug Dependency) (Hansard, 16 December 1996)

§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton

The subject of the question relates to matters undertaken by the Scottish Prison Service. I have asked its chief executive, Mr. E. W. Frizzell, to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from E. W. Frizzell to Mr. Max Madden, dated 16 December 1996: Lord James Douglas-Hamilton has asked me to reply to your Question about the number of drug dependent prisoners currently detained in prisons in Scotland. Drug misuse is an illegal activity which makes it difficult to obtain data on the number of prisoners dependent on drugs. Information is not collected centrally on the number of prisoners being treated by prison medical officers for drug dependence. A number of studies have produced data on the proportion of prisoners who misuse drugs, based on information provided anonymously by prisoners. In the 1994 Prison Survey 45% of 463W prisoners claimed to have used drugs at least once in the previous six months in prison (cannabis 40%, temgesic 22%, heroin 9%, other drugs 15%—some had used more than one drug). The injecting of drugs, however, might be a more useful measure of drug dependence. In the 1994 Prison Survey, 5% (191) of prisoners who responded said they had injected drugs during the previous six months in prison (heroin 4%, temgesic 3%, other drugs 2%—some had used more than one drug). In 2 studies this year, prisoners were asked if they had injected drugs at some time prior to imprisonment. In HMP Low Moss 113 out of 293 prisoners who responded had done so, while in HMP Aberdeen 53 out of 157 prisoners who responded had done so. Mandatory drug testing, which is being phased in across the Scottish Prison Service, will eventually provide accurate and objective information on the scale and trends of drug misuse. It complements the measures already in the SPS drugs strategy. That includes searching and surveillance to minimise the amount of drugs getting into prisons, closed circuit TV at visits, the use of sniffer dogs and a range of other measures. It also complements the constructive work that is being done in the context of reduction and detoxification. There are drug treatment programmes in 7 prisons, with more planned, and a new abstinence unit was opened at Low Moss prison earlier this year. Prisoners receive a comprehensive information and training programme on HIV, AIDS and drugs within 2 week of admission to prison. All prisons provide education and counselling. Extensive links have been established with community-based drug agencies to provide throughcare and continuing support for prisoners on release. Taken together all these measures represent a major commitment to reduce the drugs problem.