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Thursday, 9 March, 2000, 14:10 GMT

Blair: Europe must unite over drugs

Prime Minister Tony Blair has called for tougher EU laws to halt the influx of drugs from Asia.

In an address to the Scottish Parliament, he emphasised the importance of European governments adopting minimum sentences for those who peddle the deadly substances.

Mr Blair also wants a programme to tackle cross-border crime and is expected to raise the issue at forthcoming EU summits.

He praised Scottish initiatives to beat the drugs trade, but stressed that the issue had to be tackled at every level.

Minimum sentence policy

He called for co-operation with the present six applicant countries for EU status - Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovenia, Cyprus and Estonia - to be stepped up and urged them to adopt a minimum sentence policy.

But the Tories have accused Mr Blair of "breath-taking hypocrisy" for his speech to MSPs. Amphetamines

Lord Forsyth, who was involved in the creation of Scotland Against Drugs while secretary of state for Scotland, said: "His administration is responsible for destroying the all party campaign against drugs in Scotland, for cutting the budget of Scotland Against Drugs and driving out the previous director for taking too tough a line.

"Labour have consistently failed to provide a clear strategy with direction, have cut funding for rehabilitation in the prisons and for police enforcement."

After his speech, Mr Blair pressed home his message by visiting a drugs rehabilitation project in Glasgow along with Scottish drugs minister Angus MacKay, and UK drugs czar Keith Hellawell.

'Greater consistency'

Mr Hellawell said he wanted to see greater consistency in the approach to drugs across Europe.

"When I look across Europe there are all sorts of differences. There are differences in definition. I mean in Finland there's something called an 'addict dealer'.

"It's these definitions and this lack of consistency that I think we want to understand so that we have consistency." Jim Orr

The head of the Scottish Drug Enforcement Agency , Jim Orr, was with the prime minister. When he was appointed to the post last month he said he would overlook no hiding place for criminals.

On domestic politics, Mr Blair told MSPs that the Scottish Parliament is delivering for Scotland.

He pointed to the increase in nursery places and more community schools, and will highlight the strength of the economy in Scotland, where growth outstripped the rest of the UK last year.

SNP warning

Mr Blair was warned by the Scottish National Party not to use his speech as a party political occasion.

SNP leader, Alex Salmond, wrote to Mr Blair seeking reassurance that the visit would not be used for what he called an "inappropriate and partisan speech".

Party politics are high on the minds of all Scottish political activists as they fight the Ayr by-election which takes place on 16 March.

Related to this story:
Dewar defends devolution (09 Mar 00 | Scotland)
Drug chief issues warning (25 Feb 00 | Scotland)
More cash for drugs battle (20 Jan 00 | Scotland)
Cash plea in city drugs battle (26 Jan 00 | Scotland)
Action demand after boy's 'heroin' ordeal (27 Jan 00 | Scotland)
Campaigner urges new anti-drugs effort (27 Dec 99 | Scotland)

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