Police record 17 drug crimes at Palace of Westminster in a year

Drug dealing, assaults and thefts from gift shop among more than 200 crimes recorded in year to March

Two drug dealers were arrested and 13 people were detained for possession of various drugs on the parliamentary estate in the space of a year, according to Scotland Yard.

Those were among more than 200 crimes recorded at the Palace of Westminster by the Metropolitan police in the 12 months to March. While this is fewer than in some recent years, it was at a time when few MPs and staff were even present, due to Covid restrictions.