Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 4 March (HL13809), how many of the seven high THC cannabis cultivation licences for research granted since 2016 were renewals of existing licences.

Controlled Drug licences may be granted to named entities at individual premises. Licences to cultivate cannabis are not issued to individuals for personal cultivation. Licensed companies may have been contracted to cultivate cannabis at a specific site on behalf of another company.

To date, a total of 9 licences have been issued for high THC cannabis cultivation for research since 2016, each valid for a period of one year and covering one growing site only. 7 were renewals of existing licences during this period.

To date, a total of 30 licences have been issued for high THC cannabis cultivation for the extraction of cannabinoids since 2016, each valid for a period of one year and covering one growing site only. 24 were renewals of existing licences during this period.