To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the number of people who (a) took anabolic steroids and (b) took anabolic steroids for non-medical reasons in each year since 1997. (186318)

[holding answer 18 February 2008]: Information is not held on (a) the number of people who have taken anabolic steroids since 1997. The number of prescription items for anabolic steroids which were dispensed in the community in England are contained in table 1 and shows steady decline over the last 10 years.

Estimates on (b) the proportion of 16-59 year olds in England and Wales who have taken anabolic steroids for non-medical reasons are available from the British Crime Survey (BCS) and are included in table 2 which also shows a decline in use since 1996 when questions were first included in the survey.