Written question asked by David Davis (Conservative) on Thursday, 22 May 2003, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 5 June 2003. It was answered by Bob Ainsworth (Labour) on Thursday, 5 June 2003 on behalf of the Home Office.

Home Office

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many arrestees in (a) Haltemprice and Howden, (b) the East Riding of Yorkshire and (c) the Humberside Police Authority area tested positive for category A and B drugs in each of the last two quarters for which figures are available, - No figures.

Answer: David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many arrestees in (a) Haltemprice and Howden, (b) the East Riding of Yorkshire and (c) the Humberside police authority area tested positive for category A and B drugs in each of the last two quarters for which figures are available. [116773] Mr. Bob Ainsworth: There are currently no powers to test arrestees for class A or B drugs. Drug testing of persons in police detention (after charge) is planned to start in Kingston-upon-Hull in the Humberside police force area in the summer of 2003 as part of the initiative to introduce drug testing across the 30 Basic Command Unit (BCD) areas with the highest levels of acquisitive crime. Data analysis will be available thereafter. The police will test under powers introduced by the Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000, for the presence of specified Class A drugs only i.e. heroin and crack/ cocaine, those most closely associated with acquisitive crime.

Secondary information