Written question asked by Helen Jones (Labour) on Monday, 26 June 2000, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 3 July 2000. It was answered by Lord Boateng (Labour) on Monday, 3 July 2000 on behalf of the Home Office.

Home Office

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate he has made of the number of women prisoners who suffer from (a) drug and (b) alcohol addiction; and what proportion of these women are involved in detoxification programmes while in prison. - Inc figures.

Answer: Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of women prisoners who suffer from (a) drug and (b) alcohol addiction; and what proportion of these women are involved in detoxification programmes while in prison. [128123] Mr. Boateng: The report of a study of Psychiatric Morbidity Amongst Prisoners in England and Wales, undertaken in 1997 for the Department of Health by the Office for National Statistics, indicated that in the year before entering prison, 36 per cent. of women on remand and 39 per cent. of sentenced women reported engaging in hazardous drinking. Fifty four per cent. of women on remand and 41 per cent. of sentenced women reported some degree of drug dependence. The information sought in the second part of the question is not available in the form requested. Returns from Prison Service establishments show that in 1998-99, when almost 16,000 women were screened on reception into prison by healthcare staff, 3,091 completed drugs detoxification programmes and 413 completed alcohol detoxification programmes.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 128123; 353 c71-2W
Session: 1999-00
Subjects: Alcoholic drinks Alcoholism Women Drugs Prisoners Prisons Misuse Rehabilitation Rehabilitation centres
Contains statistics: Yes
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk