Hair strand testing as part of family court proceedings for the past 3 financial years
Case reference FOI2026/00164
Received 21 January 2026
Published 13 February 2026
Request
I'd like to make a Freedom of Information request as below:
1. How many hair strand tests have been ordered each year as part of family court and family drug and alcohol court proceedings for the past three years (in which the year runs from 1st April to 31st March).
2. In how many cases for the past three years (in which the year runs from 1st April to 31st March) when hair strand tests were used in family court and family drug and alcohol court proceedings was a final care order put in place?
3. How much money has the local authority spent on hair strand testing in family court proceedings each year for the last three years (in which the year runs from 1st April to 31st March)?
If it is possible please answer question 4 below but only if it's possible to do so within the time/cost constraints of the FOI act
4. How much did the local authority spend on hair strand testing with each testing company in family court cases each year for the last three years (in which the year runs from 1st April to 31st March) Please name each company. For example: Testing company A = £500
Response
I'd like to make a Freedom of Information request as below:
1. How many hair strand tests have been ordered each year as part of family court and family drug and alcohol court proceedings for the past three years (in which the year runs from 1st April to 31st March).
Answer: Please see the table below:
|
2022/23 |
38 |
|
2023/24 |
39 |
|
2024/25 |
18 |
2. In how many cases for the past three years (in which the year runs from 1st April to 31st March) when hair strand tests were used in family court and family drug and alcohol court proceedings was a final care order put in place?
Answer: Please see the table below:
|
2022/23 |
18 |
|
2023/24 |
11 |
|
2024/25 |
7 |
3. How much money has the local authority spent on hair strand testing in family court proceedings each year for the last three years (in which the year runs from 1st April to 31st March)?
Answer: Please see the table below:
|
2022/23 |
£25,215.75 |
|
2023/24 |
£29,997.57 |
|
2024/25 |
£13,280.17 |
If it is possible please answer question 4 below but only if it's possible to do so within the time/cost constraints of the FOI act
4. How much did the local authority spend on hair strand testing with each testing company in family court cases each year for the last three years (in which the year runs from 1st April to 31st March) Please name each company. For example: Testing company A = £500
Answer: Please see the table below:
|
2022/23 |
DNA Legal = £345.83 Lextox = £24,869.92 |
|
2023/24 |
Alpha Biolabs Limited = £11,766.25 Atkinson Lewis = £2,761 DNA Legal = £644.75 Lextox Total £14,825.57 |
|
2024/25 |
Alpha Biolabs Limited = £925 DNA Legal =l £220.50 Lextox = £12,134.67 |
Documents
This is Herefordshire Council's response to a freedom of information (FOI) or environmental information regulations (EIR) request.
You can browse our other responses or make a new FOI request.