Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the (a) extent of delays in lab testing blood samples as a means of evidencing drug driving offences and (b) impact of that matter on charging rates.

We are aware from engagement with the National Police Chief’s Council that between January and September 2021, there were some delays in drug drive testing due to Covid related pressures on forensic services. Toxicology supply has now significantly increased, and all backlogs have been cleared. Some cases could not be charged during this period, but none of these involved serious injury or death.