Prisons: Drugs Lady Hermon To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many mandatory drug tests were carried out in each prison establishment in Northern Ireland in each of the last six years; and in how many of those tests results were (a) positive, (b) negative and (c) inconclusive for the presence of banned substances. Paul Goggins The Northern Ireland Prison Service does not have a full programme of mandatory drug testing, although it is planned to change prison rules to enable this. However, there is currently extensive drug testing of prisoners on a voluntary basis, particularly as part of the progressive regime and earned privileges scheme, and also in relation to home leaves. Results of voluntary drug tests are only available for the last five years and are set out in the following table. Tests are diagnosed either positive or negative. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |Number of tests|Number of positive|Number of negative| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2002 | | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Maghaberry |853 |84 |633 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Magilligan |726 |8] |623 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Hvdebank |1,280 |124 |1,156 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2003 | | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Maghaberry |310 |64 |186 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Magilligan |690 |103 |166 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Hydebank |2,040 |166 |1,874 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2004 | | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Maghaberry |821 |251 |566 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Magilligan |1,344 |130 |1,204 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Hydebank |2,680 |225 |2,453 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2005 | | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Maghaberry |1,175 |383 |757 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Magilligan |1,344 |163 |976 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Hydebank |2,603 |704 |2,073 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2006 | | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Maghaberry |1,510 |419 |962 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Magilligan |1,381 |139 |1,053 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Hydebank |1,678 |134 |1,544 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Note:At the end of each year there are always a number of test results outstanding.| | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------