§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he intends introducing mandatory drug testing of staff employed from outside agencies as part of the Prison Service drug strategy; and if he will make a statement. [99799]
§ Mr. BoatengContracts with outside agencies include provision for the testing of drug workers for drugs. However, for the time being, testing will apply only to drug workers employed in the high security prisons. There are no plans as yet to extend testing to drug workers across the rest of the prison estate.
§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made with the Prison Service CARAT drug strategy; and if he will make a statement. [99798]
§ Mr. BoatengCounselling Assessment Referral in Advice Through Care Services (CARATs) contracts have been let and the roll-out of services began on 1 October. Although some services are now available in most establishments, we do not expect them to be fully operational until the end of January when the agencies involved have completed their staff recruitment.
§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total amount of money that has been allocated from each source and in total to the Prison Service's drug strategy for the next three years; what is the Prison Service's projected budget for drug rehabilitation and treatment work; and if he will make a statement. [99801]
§ Mr. BoatengThe total money that has been allocated to the Prison Service drug strategy for the three years beginning 1 April 1999 is £101,405,000. The detailed allocations are given in the tables.
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Table 1: Total drugs strategy budget Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Comprehensive spending review funds 22,572,000 26,291,000 26,949,000 Existing budget 8,531,000 8,531,000 8,531,000 Total 31,103,000 34,822,000 35,480,000
Table 2: Breakdown of allocation of comprehensive spending review funds Allocations Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Detoxification 4,000,000 3,400,000 3,400,000 Rehabilitation 2,700,000 3,500,000 3,500,000 TCs 600,000 1,050,000 1,100,000 CARATs 5,500,000 8,900,000 9,100,000 Voluntary testing 5,600,000 5,600,000 5,800,000 Totals 18,400,000 22,450,000 22,900,000
Table 3: Breakdown of existing spend Expenditure 1999–2000 (non-CSR) Drug treatment programmes and services in establishments 6,780,000
§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what prohibitions there will be on persons employed by drug agencies as part of the Prison Service's drug strategy based on previous convictions; and if he will make a statement. [99800]
§ Mr. BoatengMost establishments will not normally admit a drugs worker who has a conviction for importing or supplying drugs; any offence in the last five years (excluding most motoring offences unless they involved death or injury); a sexual offence, for example, rape, indecent assault; any offence involving children; or has been released from a custodial sentence in the last five years.
High security prisons and core local establishments holding category A prisoners will not normally admit a drug worker who has received any custodial sentence or has a conviction for any offence within the past five years; any serious offence within the past five years; any serious offence involving drugs, e.g. importation, possession with intent to supply, cultivation; any serious sexual or violent offence or any offence involving children.
There will inevitably be individual cases where an exception would be appropriate. Workers with previous convictions or who are ex-addicts can make telling contributions to treatment programmes and we would not want to lose their proven skills except when unavoidable. Governors may disregard any offence which they consider to be irrelevant and unlikely to present any threat to security or control.