CELTIC LEAGUE: ARE THE MILITARY GERRYMANDERING FIGURES ON DRUG ABUSE

The Ministry of Defence has been asked by the Celtic League if it is gerrymandering drug abuse figures for the armed forces. The Celtic League Director of Information has sent Secretary of State, Des Browne, figures which prove random tests have decreased annually as numbers of abusers has increased (see below): "Secretary

The Ministry of Defence has been asked by the Celtic League if it is gerrymandering drug abuse figures for the armed forces. The Celtic League Director of Information has sent Secretary of State, Des Browne, figures which prove random tests have decreased annually as numbers of abusers has increased (see below):

\"Secretary of State for Defence Rt Hon Des Browne MP Main Building Whitehall London

Dear Minister,

Given that the number of British military personnel testing positive for drugs has dramatically increased in recent years why has the number of personnel tested also being dramatically reduced (see figures below)?

It must beg the question - Are the armed forces attempting to gerrymander the figures so that the true extent of the problem is concealed?

British Army

Figure 1 (Year) Figure 2 (Individuals tested) Figure 3 (Positive results)

2005 - 66197 - 795 2004 - 65291 - 634 2003 - 68,003 - 518 2002 - 65588 - 514 2001 - 70213 - 637 2000 - 81931 - 699

For the Army the positive rate increases from 0.86% to 1.20% over the five year period although the sample of individuals tested is reduced by over 20%

Royal Navy

2005 - 12706 -47 2004 - 12192 - 47 2003 - 13803 - 56 2002 - 12901 - 43 2001 - 12892 - 50 2000 - 13,591 - 47

For the Royal Navy the positive rate decreases (marginally) from 0.37% to 0.36% over the five year period although again the sample of individuals tested is substantially reduced.

Royal Air Force

2005 - 12808 - 21 2004 - 11264 - 24 2003 - 13570 - 20 2002 - 11096 - 10 2001 - 13401 - 18 2000 - 11620 - 14

Although these figures show an increase for this Service there does not seem to have been an attempt to gerrymander the figures by decreasing the sample size. Over the five year period the numbers testing positive increase for 0.12% to 0.16%.

Yours faithfully,\"

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J B Moffatt Director of Information Celtic League

10/02/08