§ Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many drug-related offences were recorded in Greater London in each of the last 10 years; and how many successful prosecutions were brought in each year, broken down by type of drug involved. [177074]
§ Ms BlearsInformation on drug related offences is not collected centrally for recorded crime. The available information relates to recorded drug offences. Information for the Metropolitan Police District is given in the following table.
Table 1: Recorded drug offences in the Metropolitan Police District
Number of offences 19941 2,574 19951 3,243 19961 3,704 19971 4,695 1997–981,2 4,849 1998–993 32,152 1999–2000 26,233 2000–01 23,626 2001–02 26,204 2002–034 33,311 1 Relates only to trafficking in controlled drugs. 2 Financial year data from 1997–98 onwards. 3 Coverage was expanded to include offences of drug possession and other drug offences. 4 The number of offences recorded will be influenced by the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard on 1 April 2002. The number of offenders found guilty of certain drug offences is given in Table 2. These figures are not directly comparable with those for recorded crime.
1087W3 Includes offences of: Unlawful importation and exportation, production of or being concerned in the production of a controlled drug, supplying or offering to supply (or being concerned in supplying or offering to supply) a controlled drug, having possession of a controlled drug with intent to supply.
4 Includes offences: Permitting premises to be used for unlawful purposes, person has a controlled drug in his possession on a ship, person is knowingly concerned in the carrying or concealing of a controlled drug on a ship.