Written question asked by Jim Dobbin (Labour) on Wednesday, 19 January 2011, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 24 January 2011. It was answered by James Brokenshire (Conservative) on Wednesday, 26 January 2011 on behalf of the Home Office.

Drugs: Professor Nutt

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether licences, authorities or permissions were required for Professor Nutt to possess and inject the class A drug psilocybin into human subjects on the BBC programme, The Brain, A Secret History.

Answer: [holding answer 24 January 2011]: A licence is required to possess psilocybin, which is controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 and listed in schedule 1 to the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001. Those working with schedule 1 drugs in their capacity as researchers and under Home Office licence to possess do not need a specific Home Office authority to administer.The psilocybin used on the BBC programme, The Brain, A Secret History, was lawfully possessed by Bristol university under Home Office licence and was lawfully taken to Cardiff university, where the research took place, under the supervision of the licence holder.

Secondary information