To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many deaths related to drug poisoning or misuse there were in each year since 2000; and how many were incurred by offenders who had been released within two weeks from prison

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.

Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated September 2011

As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many deaths related to drug poisoning or misuse there were in each year since 2000; and how many were incurred by offenders who had been released within two weeks from prison. (71718)

The table provides the number of deaths where (i) the underlying cause was drug poisoning and (ii) the underlying cause was drug poisoning and any drug controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 was mentioned on the death certificate, in England and Wales, for 2000 to 2010 (the latest year available).

It is not possible to determine from information collected at death registration whether the deceased was an offender who had recently been released from prison, since this information is not routinely recorded.

The number of deaths related to drug poisoning registered in England and Wales each year by sex, age, cause and the specific substance involved are published annually on the National Statistics website. The latest Statistical Bulletin on deaths from drug-related poisoning was published on 23 August 2011 at:

www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/subnational-health3/deaths-related-to-drug-poisoning/2010/index.html