To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of those charged with theft tested positive for an illegal narcotic on arrest in the latest period for which figures are available. (129979)

Information in the format required is not available. Data on those testing positive for specified Class A drugs—heroin, cocaine or crack cocaine—are collected at the point of testing, either on arrest or at charge, but not at both points.

In January 2007, 39 per cent. of offenders arrested for theft tested positive for Class A drugs while 48 per cent. of offenders tested at charge for theft were found to be positive for the specified Class A drugs.