North West Durham MP Richard Holden has led a bill to clamp down on drugs in prisons through its final stage in the House of Commons

Having introduced the Prisons (Substance Testing) Bill in the Commons in October on behalf of Dame Cheryl Gillan MP, Mr Holden has previously led the committee stage for the bill, which involved proposing the membership, picking amendments to be moved, the Report stage, and leading the debate throughout.

Without the provisions in this bill, the prison service will be slow to react to new and emerging drug trends meaning prisoners are vulnerable and prison officers are at risk.

The bill also future-proofs drug testing programs in prisons by adopting definitions of drugs that capture new psychoactive substances that may emerge onto the market, as well as preventing criminals from being able to evade detection by tweaking the chemical composition of existing drugs.

The bill has also been welcomed by local prison officers working in County Durham who have been concerned for their own safety and those of prisoners due to the proliferation of psychoactive substances in prisons.

Mr Holden said: “I am absolutely delighted that I have been able to support Dame Cheryl on this absolutely crucial Bill and lead it through the House of Commons on her behalf.

“It’s a hugely important piece of legislation aimed at improving the lives of those in custody, providing support and prevention methods to some of the most vulnerable members of society and those guarding them.

“The bill will make it easier to prevent illegal drugs from reaching prisoners, making treatment easier, reducing reoffending, reducing self-harm and reducing attacks on prison guards.

“I have spoken to prison officers in North West Durham who work at local prisons and believe that this Bill will improve their lives and improve the lives of those who are incarcerated.

“The bill has had fantastic cross-party support throughout its journey through committee stage and the House of Commons and I want to thank everyone who has supported the bill.

“I look forward to its future progress through the House of Lords and to it becoming law, but the hardest yards in getting it through the Commons are over.”