Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the pilot led by Devon and Cornwall police on tackling drink spiking.

Reports of spiking, whether that is adding substances to drinks or injecting people with needles, are extremely concerning. We have every sympathy with victims and anyone who might feel unable to enjoy a night out without fear. No one should feel frightened or vulnerable when they go out. We utterly condemn the people who perpetrated those attacks, and they should be brought to justice. This is an issue that the Government takes very seriously.

Devon and Cornwall Police are the first police service in the country to introduce a force-wide strategy to obtain a more detailed picture of the issue around drink spiking. This is in partnership with other agencies and the licensing trade. Officers are able to utilise drink testing and urine testing to get immediate results when allegations are made. This has been in place since 1st August and has reassured many individuals as well as providing the basis for a more effective and immediate investigation into offences.

My officials are engaging with Devon and Cornwall police to understand more about the pilot and how the lessons learned could be applied to other areas of England and Wales.

More widely, the Home Secretary has already asked the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) to urgently review the extent and scale of the issue, and we are receiving regular updates from the police. The police are working locally, regionally and nationally, including 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 this 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.