Written question asked by Baroness Brown of Silvertown (Labour) on Thursday, 22 June 2006, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 26 June 2006. It was answered by Lord Coaker (Labour) on Wednesday, 28 June 2006 on behalf of the Home Office.

Khat

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his Department has conducted research into the prevalence of the use of khat in (a) England and (b) the London borough of Newham.

Answer: The Home Office has not conducted research into the prevalence of khat use either nationally or at a local level. However, in 2005 the Home Office published the results of an interview study with 602 Somali people from communities in London, Birmingham, Bristol and Sheffield. This study reported the level and nature of khat use found among those interviewed as well as their attitudes towards khat use and their perceptions of its social and health effects, but it was not designed to assess general prevalence levels. The report is available in the House of Commons Library and on the Home Office website.

Secondary information