Commons Sense

House of Commons · Westminster Hall

Spiking

14 December 2023 · 5 other contributors · 13,815 words

Opened by Judith Cummins Lab Bradford South

Responding minister: Thomas Tugendhat

Crime & Law EnforcementWomen & Equalities

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Judith Cummins raised concerns about spiking in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.

Key points

  • The issue of spiking is not new or rare in the UK, with a YouGov poll indicating that 11% of women and 6% of men have been spiked, though only 3% report incidents to the police.
  • Drug-spiking incidents reported to police have increased fivefold in five years, but the proportion leading to criminal charges has dropped from 4% in 2018 to 0.23% last year.
  • The National Police Chiefs' Council stated that a specific offence for spiking would help understand the scale of the problem and support victims better.

Key requests to Government

The Government must act urgently, publish their report on spiking as required by law, clarify when they will do so, and recognise spiking as a criminal offence in its own right.

How the debate unfolded

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

Opened the debate

Judith Cummins Lab Bradford South

The issue of spiking is not new or rare in the UK. A YouGov poll found that 11% of women and 6% of men had been spiked, but with only 3% reporting incidents to police, the true figure is likely much higher. Drug-spiking incidents reported to police have increased fivefold in five years, yet the proportion leading to criminal charges has dropped from 4% in 2018 to just 0.23% last year. The National Police Chiefs' Council stated that a specific offence for spiking would help understand the scale of the problem and support victims better.

Other contributors (5)
  • Alex Davies-Jones Lab Pontypridd

    Alex Davies-Jones expressed concern over the lack of official statistics on spiking and the perception that victims would not be taken seriously by police. She highlighted shocking figures from a YouGov poll showing 10% of women have had their drinks spiked, with 35% having either experienced it themselves or knowing someone who has. Davies-Jones also pointed out that the number of drug spiking incidents reported to police has increased fivefold in five years, yet the proportion leading to criminal charges dropped from one in 25 in 2018 to one in 400 in 2022.

  • Greg Clark Con Islington North

    Mr Clark noted the lack of specific criminal offence against public harassment of women, highlighting that introducing such an offence under a private Member's Bill was supported by the Government and Home Office.

  • Jim Shannon DUP Strangford

    Emphasised the importance of raising awareness about spiking in Northern Ireland, highlighting statistics such as 120 incidents reported in Belfast alone. He called for a cross-departmental approach to provide protection and advice, including roles for universities, higher education institutions, local councils, and police forces. Requested that any recommendations or legal intentions from this debate be shared with the Northern Ireland Assembly to ensure parity in measures across regions.

  • Richard Graham Con Gloucester

    Congratulates the hon. Member for Bradford South on securing the debate; highlights the ongoing issue of spiking and its impact on individuals, including mental health implications; emphasizes the need to create a new offence within the Criminal Justice Bill to define spiking. My right hon. Friend is making an excellent point about the use of chloroform and laudanum mentioned in the 1861 Act, which needs to be modernised. The evidence collected by the Home Affairs Committee was very powerful and helpful, with a tribute paid to the Chair for their work on providing this information. Welcomed the Home Office's anticipation of future positions on spiking, expressed gratitude for the Minister's highlighting and hoped for more detailed measures. Stressed the importance of specific data collection by police to help communities raise awareness.

  • Vicky Ford Con Chelmsford

    Ms Ford thanked Ms Nokes for chairing the debate and acknowledged Judith Cummins' initiative. She discussed Chelmsford's safety record, highlighting a specific incident where a woman was spiked in February, resulting in severe physical reactions. She praised local police efforts and bar owners' commitment to women's safety but emphasized that current laws are outdated and need modernisation for clearer prosecution. My right hon. Friend is making an excellent point. Sixth-formers from one of my Chelmsford schools suggested that more could be done through the school curriculum and at school age to prepare people for turning 18, before they attend celebratory parties. Suggested increasing public awareness about providing urine samples as evidence in spiking cases to aid prosecutions, emphasizing the need for clear methods of evidence giving and drug tracing.

Government Response

Thomas Tugendhat

Addressed concerns about spiking by acknowledging its severe impact on victims and their communities. Noted that the Government has been working closely with police to tackle spiking, including measures such as developing an online reporting tool, enhancing rapid testing capabilities for drugs used in spiking incidents, and providing training and support for venues. Emphasized the importance of gathering intelligence and identifying perpetrators while protecting communities. Mentioned reclassification of GHB from class C to B under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 and ongoing campaigns such as 'Enough' to tackle violence against women and girls. Highlighted the need for early education about spiking dangers, supported by Universities UK and local authorities. Underlined the Home Office's commitment to this issue, aiming to bring in measures as soon as possible.

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