To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many deaths from drug related poisoning involving illegal substances were recorded in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years for which figures are available. (78786)

It is not possible to answer this question directly as a number of people who have died from a drug controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act may have obtained the drug legally for example methadone overdose.

However the following table gives the number of deaths registered in Northern Ireland for each year between 2001 and 2005 for which the underlying cause was drug poisoning¹ and where any drug controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act were mentioned on the death certificate.

¹ International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision codes:

Fl 1-F16, F18-F19?Mental and behavioural disorders related to drug use.

X60-X64?Intentional self-poisoning by drugs.

X40-X44?Accidental poisoning by drugs.

X85?Assault by drugs.

Y10-Y14?Undetermined and other poisoning by drugs.