Written question asked by Anthony Steen (Conservative) on Thursday, 28 January 1999, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 4 February 1999. It was answered by George Howarth (Labour) on Thursday, 4 February 1999 on behalf of the Home Office.

Home Office

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what public funds have been spent in each of the last three years on mandatory drug tests in prisons. - Inc table.

Answer: Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what public funds have been spent in each of the last three years on mandatory drug tests in prisons. [68996] Mr. George Howarth: There is a central budget covering expenditure on laboratory analysis, a courier service, collection kits and stationery. Expenditure from that budget in the last three years has been as follows: _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Year £ 1996-97 1,076,381 1997-98 1,599,137 April 1998 to January 1999 1,100,000 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. These figures do not include the cost of staff who collect the samples and provide administrative support. Responsibility for meeting these costs is devolved to each prison governor. Information on this element of expenditure is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Secondary information