asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average number of offenders serving prison sentences for drug offences in England and Wales in 1979, 1983, 1985 and 1986.

The available information relates to persons serving an immediate custodial sentence on 30 June in Prison Department Establishments in England and Wales for drugs offences. This is published annually in "Prison Statistics England and Wales" (Table 1.8 of the latest issue, for 1985, Cmnd 9903). Provisional information for 1986 shows about 2,800 persons serving sentences for these offences.