HC Deb 17 February 1998 vol 306 cc602-3W
Mr. Flynn

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will estimate the number of prescriptions issued for medicinal drugs whose side-effects include performance impairment comparable to that of 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood. [29843]

Ms Glenda Jackson

This information is not available.

Mr. Flynn

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what drugs can be detected by the(a) Cozart and (b) Drugwipe tests; and how many and what percentage of the total of medicinal drugs which if taken in accordance with directions can reduce drivers' performance to a level comparable to that of 80mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood can be detected. [29839]

Ms Glenda Jackson

The Cozart test can separately identify five drug groups; cannabis, amphetamines (including ecstasy), cocaine, opiates and benzodiazepines. The Drugwipe test also detects drugs from the first four of these groups i.e. cannabis, amphetamines (including ecstasy), cocaine and opiates, but does not detect benzodiazepines. The information sought for medicinal drugs is not available.

Mr. Flynn

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he made of simulator and epidemiological studies on links between illegal drugs and driving ability undertaken in(a) America, (b) Australia, (c) Canada and (d) Holland in reaching his decision on drug driving tests; and if he will make a statement. [29847]

Ms Glenda Jackson

The Department considered in detail the evidence available from both simulator and epidemiological studies, worldwide, before undertaking its own epidemiological study of drugs in road fatalities and announcing its plans to assess the roadside practicability of two drug screening devices.

Mr. Flynn

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is his estimate of the percentage of the population who take cannabis at least once every 30 days; and what was the percentage of road fatalities who were found to have traces of cannabis in their bodies in his Department's recent test. [29841]

Ms Glenda Jackson

According to the British Crime Survey 1996, cannabis had been taken by 12 per cent. of the 16–29 year age group in the previous month; figures for other age groups are not available. The percentage of road fatalities who were found to have traces of cannabis in their bodies was also 12 per cent.