§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the drugs that he proposes to include in the mandatory drug testing for offenders under the provisions of the Criminal Justice and Court Services Bill. [125996]
§ Mr. Charles ClarkeInitially it is proposed to test specifically for heroin and crack/cocaine, which research has shown to have a particularly strong connection with acquisitive crime. The Bill provides for the Secretary of State to specify, by order, the Class A drugs applicable. Consideration will be given to including other Class A drugs in the testing programme if research evidence demonstrates a similar link to the commissioning of crime.
Number and proportion of defendants tried and convicted at the Crown court for rape offences1 by Police Force Area, 1994–98 Police Force Area Number tried Total convicted 1994 Percentage convicted Number tried Total convicted 1995 Percentage convicted Avon and Somerset 22 12 55 31 15 48 Bedfordshire 14 3 21 8 5 63 Cambridgeshire 19 4 21 17 12 71 Cheshire 14 8 57 17 10 59 Cleveland 9 5 56 17 10 59 Cumbria 5 4 80 13 7 54