§ Mr. BattleTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the prisons in which the drug subutex is prescribed for heroin addicts; and if he will make a statement. [116007]
§ Paul GogginsSubutex (buprenorphine) is included in the treatment protocols that have been developed in conjunction with NHS services at eight Prison Service establishments (Birmingham, Elmley, High Down, Leeds, Portland young offender institution, Rochester, Stoke Health young offender institution and Swaleside).
The Prison Service"s Standard for Clincal Services for Substance Misusers requires every establishment that receives prisoners from court to have detoxification guidelines in place for at least one of Methadone, Lofexidine, and Dihydrocodeine. It also states that, as new evidence becomes available on the Chemical management of detoxification or abstinence, establishments should develop further treatment guidelines which are in line with those available in the NHS. Prison Health expects the use of subutes in prisons to develop at a similar pace to the growth in its use in the community.