HC Deb 24 May 2004 vol 421 c1428W
Bob Spink

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners were held in prisons in England and Wales for drug-related offences in each of the last five years, broken down by class of drug. [163549]

Paul Goggins

On 30 November 2003 there were 11,777 persons held in Prison Service establishments in England and Wales, under sentence or on remand, for drugs offences. Equivalent figures for each of the last five years can be found in tables 1.5 and 2.8 of the publication 'Prison Statistics England and Wales'. A copy of this publication is available in the House of Commons Library.

The number of prisoners held under sentence in Prison Service establishments for drugs offences in 1999 and 2000, broken down by type of drug, is given in the table. Information for later years is not yet available.

Table 3.11 Persons under sentence in Prison Service establishments1 for drug offences on 30 June: by principal drugs offence2, type of controlled drug and year, England and Wales
Estimated number of persons3 2000
Type of drug 1999 Male Female All persons
Cocaine 1,400 1,000 300 1,350
Crack 250 300 0 350
Heroin 2,750 2,900 400 3,300
LSD 100 50 0 50
Ecstasy-type 650 800 50 900
Methadone 50 50 0 50
Amphetamines 500 300 0 300
Cannabis 1,650 1,200 100 1,300
Other drugs 950 900 50 950
All drugs 8,150 7,500 950 8,450
1Excluding persons committed in default of payment of a fine.
2In the case of offenders with two or more sentences of immediate custody the offender is shown against the longest one which is the principal drugs offence.
3Total number of persons under sentence in prison offences by type of drug offence and average time spent under sentence provided by Prison Statistics. Breakdown by type of drug estimated from drug offenders sentenced to immediate custody by sentence length. Figures rounded to nearest 50.

Mr. Maude

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisons were operating at greater than their certified normal accommodation rate in each of the last 10 years. [166797]

Paul Goggins

I will write to the right hon. Member.