Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were on NHS (a) alcohol and (b) drugrehabilitation schemes in the Newcastle City Primary Care Trust area in each year since 1998-99. [204615]Miss Melanie Johnson: Information on numbers for alcohol treatment is not collected centrally. Data for the number of individuals ondrug rehabilitation schemes is not available in the format requested. However, the available data is shown in the table.In 2003-04, there were 805 people in contact with structured drug treatment in the Newcastle upon Tyne drug action team area. Thisfigure is not directly comparable to previous years as new criteria were introduced in 2003-04, which means that we are not able tomake a direct comparison with previous years. National data was produced for 2001-02 and 2002-03, but this data was not verified ata local level.Number of users reported as presenting for treatment for drug misuse in Newcastle and North Tyneside health authority during sixmonth periods ending 30 September 1998 to 31 March 2001_________________________________________________________________________________________________.Six month period ending Newcastle and North Tyneside health authoritySeptember 1998 224March 1999 393September 1999 387March 2000 274September 2000 460March 2001 366_________________________________________________________________________________________________.Note: Reporting to the regional drug misuse databases was voluntary; changes in the numbers of users presenting may, at least inpart, be due to changes in reporting practice. Source: The Department of Health series of statistical bulletins `Statistics from theRegional Drug Misuse Databases'. Bulletins for the six months ending September 1998 onwards are available on the Departments websiteat: http://www.publications.doh.gov.uk/ public/work public health.htm SDD