Drug Abuse (Prisons)

Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Home Department – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 23 January 1997.

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Photo of Mr Warren Hawksley Mr Warren Hawksley , Halesowen and Stourbridge 12:00, 23 January 1997

I had hoped that when people were sent to prison, there would be an opportunity to reduce the amount of drugs that they took. I welcome the mandatory drug-testing regime, but its results show that in Cardiff 74 per cent. of tests were positive and in Featherstone and Dorchester the figure was more than 50 per cent. Has any disciplinary action been taken against the warders and governors of prisons that show high levels of positive results from mandatory testing? They appear to be turning a blind eye to the problem, because almost all the drugs must come from visitors, whom they could control.