§ Mr. EvansTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of(a) the amount of cannabis supplied and (b) the number of cannabis users in (i) the Ribble Valley and Fulwood, (ii) Lancashire. (iii) the North West of England, (iv) Wales and (v) England in each of the last six years.[100962]
§ Mr. Bob AinsworthNo estimates are currently available on the amount of cannabis supplied for the areas identified.
The British Crime Survey is able to provide estimates of the proportion of cannabis users in an area (aged between 16 and 59 years old). However, this information is available only at the regional or country level.
Last year use of cannabis (16 to 59 year olds) 1996 1998 2000 2001–02 North West 8.7 9.8 12.4 11.9 England 9.7 10.4 10.6 10.7 Wales 6.0 8.0 8.2 7.0 England and Wales 9.5 10.3 10.5 10.6 There was a statistically significant increase in last year use of cannabis in the North West between the 1996 and 2000 British Crime Survey. Similarly, there was a significant increase in last year use of cannabis in England between the 1996 and 2000 British Crime Survey. From the [996 British Crime Survey to date, there has been no significant change in the proportion of people in Wales having used cannabis in the last year.
The 1998 British Crime Survey estimates that the proportion of 16 to 59 year olds using cannabis in the last year in the North West was statistically higher than in England (9.8 per cent. and 10.4 per cent. respectively). In all other years, there is no significant difference in the proportion of users