§ Mr. McDonnellTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the accuracy of the current urine test in Her Majesty's prisons for determining a prisoner's drug use. [114448]
§ Mr. BoatengMandatory drug testing (MDT) is contracted to an independent laboratory, Medscreen. The analytical process if highly accurate, fully meets industry
372W
Average time taken for police forces to complete an inquiry made under child protection guidance (Home Office Circular 47/1993) (A) where internal (i.e. force) inquiries are made, and (B) where inquiries outside the force are made, by Police Force Area 1996–99 Number of days 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 A B A B A B Avon and Somerset 4–10 10–15 5–10 30 8 1–14 Bedfordshire 13 18 6 21 13 32 Cambridgeshire 1–2 5+ 2–3 14 14 28 Cheshire 3.67 8.87 4 9 2–3 6–7 City of London 1 7–21 1 21–28 1 90 Cleveland 10–21 10–21 210 210 61–7 61–14 Cumbria 5 14 7 16 5 25 Derbyshire 2 14 7 21 2 20 Devon and Cornwall 5 10 35 56 20 82 Dorset 1–2 3–28 1–2 3–28 5–7 7–28 Durham 1–2 7–40 4 7–28 7 14 Dyfed-Powys 5 21 6 13 8 13–14 Essex 6 25 11 21–27 10 28 Gloucestershire 8 27.5 5 21 5 23 Greater Manchester 21 28 47–63 47–63 28 28–42 Gwent 2 2 5 30 2–13 30 Hampshire 3 5 2 11 2 13 Hertfordshire 3.4 22 44 419 43 416 Humberside 3 3 3 10 3 3 Kent 2 5 3 7 5 7 Lancashire 2 16 2 16 8 18 Leicestershire 2 4 4–5 0 2 30 standards and is subject to a rigorous quality assurance programme. Voluntary drug testing is conducted by prisons staff using less sophisticated methods, to provide an indication of drug misuse. Unlike MDT, disciplinary measures do not routinely result from positive voluntary tests.
§ Mr. McDonnellTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the arrangements for voluntary urine testing in Her Majesty's prisons. [114449]
§ Mr. BoatengVoluntary drug testing will be made available to all prisoners who request it and who are assessed as suitable, by April 2001.]