Commons Sense

House of Commons · General Debate

Prisons Illegal Drugs 2026-01-15

15 January 2026 · 8 other contributors

Opened by Andy Slaughter Lab Hammersmith and Chiswick

Justice & CourtsEnvironment

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Andy Slaughter raised concerns about prisons illegal drugs 2026-01-15 in the House of Commons. Other MPs contributed to the debate.

Key points

  • The Justice Committee is concerned about the increase in drug use in prisons, leading to over 136 drug-related deaths between December 2022 and December 2024.
  • The committee recommends various measures including mandatory drug testing and improved security measures.
  • The committee expresses disappointment with the Government's limited response to these recommendations.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Andy Slaughter Lab Hammersmith and Chiswick

The Justice Committee is concerned by the growing level of drug use in prisons, leading to a human tragedy with over 136 drug-related deaths between December 2022 and December 2024. The committee's sixth report recommends mandatory drug testing, faster waste water testing rollouts, more drug-free wings, full body scanners, improved security measures against disrepair, enhanced screening of frontline staff, a lifelong vetting model for HMPPS staff, counter-drone systems, and better tracking of electronic financial transactions within prison walls. The committee is disappointed with the Government's limited response to these recommendations.

Other contributors (8)
  • Neil Shastri-Hurst Con Solihull West and Shirley

    Expressed deep disappointment about the Ministry of Justice's position on counter-drone activity, citing frequent episodes where drones bypass prison security.

  • Warinder Juss Lab Wolverhampton West

    Noted that incentivised substance-free living units reduce violence and self-harm by 30%, questioning the Government's decision to consolidate these units instead of expanding them.

  • Bobby Dean LD Carshalton and Wallington

    Asked about the demand for drugs in prisons, availability of rehabilitation services, and other forms of support for addicts within prison walls.

  • Jayne Kirkham Lab/Co-op Truro and Falmouth

    Visited HMP Wandsworth, impressed by progress in staff retention and the new unit for prisoners with autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, and addiction issues. Raised concerns about lack of prison officers leading to difficulties in maintaining order on wings.

  • Jim Shannon DUP Strangford

    Cited statistics from Northern Ireland indicating that 41% of prisoners found it easy to acquire illicit drugs and 28% developed drug problems while incarcerated. Emphasised the need for a UK-wide approach to combat growing drug use in prisons.

  • Lewis Atkinson Lab Sunderland Central

    Asked about substance misuse treatment commissioning, expressing concern over transferring responsibilities to Integrated Care Boards and called for a joined-up drugs strategy across Government departments.

  • Chris Bloore Lab Redditch

    Paid tribute to the Committee's report and asked about metrics to measure progress on meeting recommendations by the end of Parliament. Suggested setting benchmarks for monitoring progress.

  • Linsey Farnsworth Lab Amber Valley

    Welcomed Government’s positive response to recommendation 6 regarding purposeful activity and requested an update on progress by April 2026. Emphasised the benefits of purposeful activity in rehabilitating offenders and reducing drug use.

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