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Prisoners: Drugs

Volume 470: debated on Monday 7 January 2008

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people who have served jail sentences for drug related offences later re-offended in the latest period for which figures are available. (174739)

Information is not available on re-offending by offenders released from prison having been convicted of drug offences. The most recently published adult re-offending figures ("Re-offending of Adults: Results from the 2004 Cohort") cover offenders released from prison and offenders commencing community sentences in England and Wales in the first quarter of 2004. Of those who were convicted of offences relating to the import, export, production or supply of drugs, 31.4 per cent. re-offended within two years. For drug possession and small scale supply offences this figure was 48.2 per cent.

These numbers relate to specific drugs offences only (including the possession and supply of drugs) and not to other offences (such as those involving acquisitive crime) which may be related to drugs issues of the offender.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) what proportion of those persons serving community service sentences are doing so for drug-related offences; (174741)

(2) how many people are serving community service sentences for drug-related offences.

On 30 June 2007, there were 5,470 persons (rounded to nearest 10) being supervised by the probation service under community sentences given for drugs offences. This represents some 5 per cent. of all persons being supervised under community sentences on that date. These numbers relate to specific drugs offences only (including the possession and supply of drugs) and not to other offences (such as those involving acquisitive crime) which may be related to drugs issues of the offender.

These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) what proportion of those persons on remand are on remand for drug-related offences; (174743)

(2) how many people are on remand for drug-related offences;

(3) what proportion of those persons serving jail sentences are doing so for drug-related offences;

(4) how many people are serving jail sentences for drug-related offences.

At the end of October 2007 there were 12,996 prisoners being held on remand in all prison establishments in England and Wales, of which 1,874 were for drug offences, or 14 per cent.

At the end of October 2007 there were 66,477 prisoners serving sentences in all prison establishments in England and Wales of which 10,526 were for drug offences, or 16 per cent..

This information is obtainable from the Population in Custody Monthly Tables at the website:

http://www.justice.gov.uk/docs/population-in-custody-oct07.pdf

These numbers relate to specific drugs offences only (including the possession and supply of drugs) and not to other offences (such as those involving acquisitive crime) which may be related to drugs issues of the offender.

These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps he is taking to combat the circulation and possession of illegal drugs in Chelmsford prison; and if he will make a statement. (174981)

HMP/YOI Chelmsford is taking many steps to tackle the supply of drugs including searching, perimeter security and close liaison with other agencies. It would not be appropriate for operational reasons to give details of the strategies currently in place.