§ Mr. CousinsTo ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if she will estimate(a) the numbers of deaths due to drug use and misuse, (b) the numbers of injuries and finished consultant episodes related to drug use and 318W misuse and (c) the direct costs of care, treatment, investigation and damage caused by drug use and misuse in each year since 1995. [157835]
§ Marjorie MowlamThe Office for National Statistics reports that the number of deaths due to drug misuse in 1999 was 2,943; this figure includes deaths from illicit and licit drug use. The figures provided include deaths from drug dependence, non-dependent abuse, accidents, suicides and homicide. The figures for previous years are as follows: 1998–2,922; 1997–2,858; 1996–2,721; and 1995–2,563. Figures in relation to the numbers of injuries and finished consultant episodes related to drug use and misuse are not available as they are not collected centrally.
In terms of the direct costs of treatment of drug use and misuse, the only figures available are from the treatment strand of expenditure from the Drug Action Team returns for 1998–99 and 1999–2000. The figure for 1998–99 was approximately £165.7 million and the figure for 1999–2000 was approximately £151.8 million. Information on the indirect costs of the damage resulting from drug misuse are unavailable as they are not collected centrally.