Written question asked by Helen Jones (Labour) on Monday, 20 May 2002, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 23 May 2002. It was answered by Bob Ainsworth (Labour) on Thursday, 23 May 2002 on behalf of the Home Office.

Home Office

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many probation and drugs treatment services have adopted oral fluid testing for drug abuse.

Answer: Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many probation and drugs treatment services have adopted oral fluid testing for drug abuse. [58514] Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The Home Office recently issued a probation circular, (PC7/2002:Revision of National Standards of Supervision of Offenders in the Community) which notified probation areas that they were no longer required to obtain specific written authority from the Home Office to use oral fluid testing in respect of the Drug Treatment and Testing Order. Prior to this announcement, twenty-three Probation Areas had requested the use of oral fluid testing. Oral fluid testing is also currently being used in the three probation areas piloting the drug testing provisions contained in the Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000. Information regarding the practices of drug treatment services is not held centrally.

Secondary information