Written question asked by John Hayes (Conservative) on Monday, 27 November 2006, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 29 November 2006. It was answered by Gerry Sutcliffe (Labour) on Monday, 18 December 2006 on behalf of the Home Office.

Drugs

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offenders are on drugs rehabilitation courses in prisons; and what estimate he has made of the number of drug users in prison.

Answer

The following table shows the numbers engaging in drug treatment in prisons in the last financial year.Information on the number of drug users in prison is not collated centrally.Prisons rely on epidemiological surveys to determine levels of substance dependence. Studies show that around 55 per cent. of those received into custody report a serious drug problem—with 80 per cent. reporting some misuse; in certain prisons, up to 80 per cent. test positive for opiates on reception. Based on an annual throughput of 130,000 offenders, this equates to 70,000 drug-misusers passing through custody in the course of a year; with 39,000 present at any one time.

	Clinical Management¹	CARATs² Initial assessments	Programme entrants
2005-06	53,323	74,588	10,743
¹ Includes maintenance, detoxification and alcohol detoxification
² Counselling, assessment, referral, advice and throughcare service
³ Includes 8,709 by YPSMS (Young Persons Substance Misuse Service)—the substance misuse service for under 18s.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 106684; 454 c1664W;454 c1666W
Session: 2006-07
Subjects: Drugs Prisons
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk

Drugs

Secondary information

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