Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of people who have (1) been convicted for drug driving, and (2) had their driving licence endorsed following a conviction for drug driving, in each of the last three years.

The Government takes road safety seriously and are committed to reducing the numbers of those killed and injured on our roads. Driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs is unacceptable and there are tough penalties and rigorous enforcement in place.

The Government’s Road Safety Strategy, published in January 2026, recognises drug driving as a major road-safety risk and proposes a combination of stronger enforcement, potential licence-suspension powers, improved evidence gathering, and behaviour-change campaigns to reduce it.

The Road Safety Motoring Consultation specifically sought views on new powers to suspend driving licences for those suspected of drink‑ or drug‑driving offences:

i)while forensic analysis is undertaken;

ii) until attendance at court or a guilty plea, or if bailed, pending forensic analysis being undertaken; or

(iii) when there has been a fatality or serious injury, to better protect the public.

The consultation closed in May, the responses are being considered.

The police already have extensive powers. Under section 10 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 they are able to arrest and detain an individual if they have provided a specimen of breath, blood or urine that exceeds the prescribed drink or drug driving limit or the individual’s ability to drive properly is impaired. How the police decide to use these powers is an operational matter for their discretion.

The Government continues to support the police to ensure that they have the tools needed to enforce road traffic legislation. The Home Office does not hold data on the number of convictions for drug-driving offences or driving licences endorsed following a conviction for drug driving.

As the government department responsible for the courts and criminal justice system, the Ministry of Justice publishes statistics on criminal convictions as part of its Criminal Justice Statistics Quarterly publication