THE Government should consider giving heroin to hardcore drug addicts to stop them committing crime, a Hampshire MP said today.

Chris Huhne, Liberal Democrat MP for Eastleigh, spoke out after one of the country's most senior police officers called for an expansion of licensed prescriptions.

Home Office research has found heroin addicts commit on average 432 crimes a year, costing a total of £45,000 each.

But in the UK only a few hundred of the 40,000 registered heroin addicts are currently being prescribed heroin as part of a limited experiment.

Ken Jones, president of the Association of Chief Police Officers, called for the drug to be made available to more long-term users.

Mr Huhne said: "It's something we need to look at very closely. There's no doubt a very large proportion of crime is now undertaken by addicts desperate to get their next fix.

"Prescription would essentially mean they would get medical help with the long term objective of getting them off their addiction. They would be able to sate their immediate needs without committing crime. I would certainly call for this to be examined as a serious option."

John Denham, Labour MP for Southampton Itchen, said he was keeping an open mind but cautioned it would be sensible to wait for the results of the government's trial before expanding prescription.

He said: "The problem would be how to keep the system secure so the drugs do not find their way on to the drugs market.

"Prescription doesn't necessarily help people beat their addictions. But I wouldn't close my mind to it."