Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent assessment they have made of the prevalence of drug spiking.

Reports of spiking, whether that is adding substances to drinks or injecting people with needles, are extremely concerning, and this is an issue that government and law enforcement are taking very seriously. We have every sympathy with victims and anyone who might feel unable to enjoy a night out without fear. We utterly condemn anyone who perpetrates such attacks, and they should be brought to justice.

In September 2021, the Home Secretary asked the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) to urgently review the extent and scale of the issue. We continue to receive regular updates from the police and are working together to understand the issue locally, regionally and nationally, including working with our partners in the National Crime Agency.

The abhorrent crimes of spiking also speak to broader issues of violence against women and girls. We published our new cross-Government tackling violence against women and girls strategy last Summer, to help to ensure that women and girls are safe everywhere. We are delivering a pilot £5 million safety of women at night fund, focused on preventing violence against women and girls in public spaces at night, particularly in the night-time economy. That is in addition to the £25 million safer streets fund, which focuses on improving public safety, with an emphasis on the safety of women and girls, and their feelings of safety in public spaces.