Written question asked by Baroness Adams of Craigielea (Labour) on Thursday, 30 July 1998, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 21 October 1998. It was answered by Henry McLeish (Labour) on Wednesday, 21 October 1998 on behalf of the Scottish Office.

Scottish Office

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many deaths in (a) Scotland and (b) Strathclyde have resulted from the prescribed use of methadone in each year since 1992 and in 1998 to date. - Inc table.

Answer: Mrs. Irene Adams: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many deaths in (a) Scotland and (b) Strathclyde have resulted from the prescribed use of methadone in each year since 1992 and in 1998 to date. [55214] Mr. McLeish: The information is given in the table. The figures cover all deaths in the categories listed where methadone was recorded as being present at the time of death, either alone or in combination with one or more other drugs. Improved procedures for recording information about drug-related deaths were introduced in 1994, therefore comparable information is not available for 1992 and 1993. Information for 1998 is not yet available. It is not possible to identify separately deaths from drugs which have been prescribed. _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Deaths involving methadone in: Year Scotland The former Strathclyde region 1994 55 27 1995 58 34 1996 101 36 1997 87 26 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Underlying cause of death categories included (codes refer to the International Classification of Diseases etc., ninth revision (ICD 9)): drug dependence (304), nondependent abuse of drugs (305), accidental poisoning (E850--E858), suicidal poisoning (E950--E952) and poisoning undetermined whether accidentally or purposely inflicted (E980--E982).

Secondary information