To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people in Northern Ireland were convicted of offences relating to the possession of drugs in (a) 1998 and (b) 2008. (265607)

Conviction data for 2008 are not available; 2006 is the latest available year. With regards to offences relating to the possession of drugs, there were 411 persons convicted in 1998 and 572 persons convicted in 2006.

Data are collated on the principal offence rule; only the most serious offence with which an offender is charged is included.