Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate his department has made of the rate of recidivism for individuals charged with crimes involving the production of cannabis for each year between 2010 to 2018.

Please see the relevant tables attached. Note in the data that reoffending is measured using a one-year follow-up period and a further six month waiting period. Rates are, therefore, only available for cohorts up until January to March 2017.

For those whose offences are linked to cannabis usage, NHS England and Local Health Boards in Wales, who are responsible for commissioning substance misuse services in prisons, offer a broad range of services to address substance misuse. It is for health providers to decide the appropriate treatment on a case by case basis.

Further, for prisons in England the updated April 2018 NHS England Substance Misuse Service Specification for prisons sets out evidence-based services that should be commissioned to address the health and justice needs of prisoners, including the prevention of re-offending.

Those convicted of possession, production or supply of cannabis may also be suitable for an accredited offending behaviour programme or similar intervention which addresses needs related to an individual’s offending, for example attitudes, thinking and behaviour.

In addition, we are addressing some of the barriers to rehabilitation through the Education and Employment strategy we published last May. For example, we are giving governors local power and control, enabling them to commission education provision that leads to work; through the New Futures Network (NFN), we are engaging with employers to take on ex-prisoners; and we have consulted on proposals to increase the opportunities available to prisoners to gain experience in real workplaces through Release On Temporary Licence.