asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the numbers of people who have appeared in the High Court charged with drug offences in the most recent year for which records are available and the percentage which that number represents of the total number of appearances in the High Court for all offences.

In 1985, the most recent year for which figures are available, 310 people were proceeded against for drugs offences in the High Court in Scotland. This represented 26 per cent. of all persons proceeded against in the High Court. These figures include persons remitted to the High Court for sentence.