§ Paul FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the value of workplace drug testing for(a) alcohol, (b) cannabis, (c) heroin, (d) amphetamine and (e) cocaine among civil servants. [24997]
§ Mr. Bob AinsworthThe Home Office Drug Strategy Directorate is currently developing, with partners, a strategy for tackling the issue of drug misuse in the workplace. One of the proposed outcomes is the production of definitive guidance to employers, in all sectors, of best practice in managing drug issues in workplace settings. The strategy will aim to include a balanced view on the comparative worth of drug testing as a tool for employers, and cover each of the drugs specified in the question. The current intention is to publish the guidance during the financial year 2002–03 and make it widely available.