HC Deb 18 July 2001 vol 372 cc283-5W
Dr. Tonge

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which countries supply Britain with(a) cannabis, (b) coca and (c) opium for use in (i) the legal pharmaceutical industry and (ii) research and development to investigate possible medicinal uses. [4571]

Mr. Bob Ainsworth

None of these substances are imported for pharmaceutical industrial purposes. A small amount of processed cannabis has recently been imported from Germany for medical research.

Licence holders Purpose
Prof. A. D. Smith (Univ. of Oxford) Academic
Dr. R. Middleton (Univ. of Hull) Academic
Dr. C. Hunter (Univ. of the West of England) Academic
Dr. M. A. Sackville (Univ. of Sunderland) Academic
Dr. C. Wright (Univ. of Bradford) Academic
Dr. P. M. Dewick (Univ. of Nottingham) Academic
Dr. J. Smart (Univ. of Portsmouth) Academic
Dr. Geoffrey Hall (De Montfort Univ) Academic
Prof. P. J. Houghton (Kings College London) Academic
Dr. Alexander (Univ. of Edinburgh) Academic
Dr. J. Cole (Royal Liverpool Univ. Hospital) Academic
Prof. J. F. Alder (Univ. of Manchester Institute Academic
Mr. Malcolm Aiken (Univ. of Brighton) Academic
Dr. K. Brain (Welsh Sch. of Pharmacy) Academic
Prof. Redfern (Univ. of Bath) Academic
Prof. J. Kelly (Univ. of Edinburgh) Academic
Prof. T. Stone (Univ. of Glasgow) Academic
Dr. D. Todd (James Paget Hospital) Researching general therapeutic benefits
Dr. D. Baker (Univ. College London) Immune systems (inc. Multiple Sclerosis (MS) research)
Dr. R. Pertwee (Univ. of Aberdeen) Neuropharmacology research
Dr. C. Heard (Welsh Sch. of Pharmacy) Research into transdermal administration
Dr. E. Williamson (Univ. of London) Research into Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
Prof. R. Rainsford (Sheffield Hallam Univ.) Research into arthritis
G. W. Pharmaceuticals (Porton Down) Research into Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and other conditions
Dr. J. Zajicek (Derriford Hospital) Research into Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

None covers coca and opium.

Dr. Tonge

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many licences have been granted for research and development to investigate possible

Dr. Tonge

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the research and development projects being carried out to investigate the possible medicinal uses of(a) cannabis, (b) coca and (c) opium. [4667]

Mr. Bob Ainsworth

There are 25 licences currently valid for cannabis research. The licence holders and the purposes are:

medicinal uses of (a) cannabis, (b) coca and (c) opium in each of the last 10 years. [4666]

Mr. Bob Ainsworth

According to existing records, the following number of licences have been granted to investigate the possible medicinal uses of cannabis during the last 10 years.

Number
1991 1
1992 0
1993 0
1994 4
1995 1
1996 0
1997 3
1998 1
1999 3
2000 12
2001 38

No applications were received in respect of coca and opium during the same period.