I share the concerns raised in the past few days about an increase in incidents of spiking in nightclubs in Leeds and across the country. This is appalling criminal behaviour and I quite understand the great fear it creates.

As far as I am aware, there has been one reported case of spiking by injection in Leeds, which the police are investigating, but many others of spiked drinks. As you may have seen, the Home Secretary has asked police forces for an update following a number of cases of women reporting being spiked by needles in nightclubs across the country.

It is essential that effective action is taken to do everything possible to prevent this from happening, and there is clearly a very important role for clubs and nightclubs.

I will be following this up.

Hilary Benn MP