Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners who died by suicide in England and Wales in 2016 were known drug users.

The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) records a range of information about each self-inflicted death in prison, but whether or not the deceased was a drug user is not included within the information that is centrally recorded.

Where a prisoner’s drug use played a part in his or her death this is identified in the investigation by the Prisons & Probation Ombudsman and by the Coroner at the inquest, and NOMS considers and acts on any recommendations that may result.