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Home Office;Prison Service

Answer

Mr. George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 29 January, Official Report, column 211, if he will list the prisons involved in the research project carried out by the university of Oxford centre for criminological research; what type of (a) drug testing and (b) methodology this research project will employ; if it will include recommendations for future Prison Service drug policy in its final report; and if he will publish the results of the research. [18747] Miss Widdecombe: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given. Letter from Hugh Taylor to Mr. George Howarth, dated 11 March 1997: The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about the research project being carried by the University of Oxford Centre for Criminological Research. The project has as its focus the Mandatory Drug Testing Programme introduced in all prisons from April 1996. The researchers will obtain information using structured interviews with prisoners and staff, at each of the five establishments involved in the study: Wellingborough; Long Lartin; Onley; New Hall; and Swansea. No drug testing takes place as part of the study. The researchers' report may make recommendations for policy. Generally findings of research in prisons are published.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

18747; 292 c126-7W

Session

1996-97

Subjects

Drugs University of Oxford Prisoners Misuse Research Testing Centre for Criminological Research