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Every school in Britain has a drugs problem, according to two leading headteachers’ unions. I mean infant schools, primary schools and secondary schools.”Mr Walker said the levels of drug taking inside schools was fairly low, arguing that most young people experimented either at home or at the homes of friends. And he said that many youngsters believed drug taking was “selfish” and had begun to display remarkably mature attitudes about the issue.However, he admitted there were young people in schools who developed drugs problems or dealt drugs, advocating exclusion for the dealers so other “innocent” children were not sucked into drug use.In Mr Dunford’s view, however, the problem was more widespread.”There isn’t a town in the country now where the children will be able to tell you where you can obtain drugs or for how much in graphic detail – and I am talking about nice kids,” he said.”I think schools do an awful lot of work on drugs education which makes a considerable impact. The problem would be much worse without that.”Both said drugs education should start in primary schools, calling for more help for teachers in getting the anti-drugs message across.The Department for Education and Skills yesterday dismissed the allegations. “What evidence is there that every school has got a drugs problem?” a spokesman said “Most schools don’t have a drugs problem. There are some that do and that is why we are taking steps to help teachers educate people better and why we are cracking down on drug dealing in and around schools.”But Mr Dunford also warned that there could also be future problems in schools because of recent moves to liberalise the laws on cannabis.”I think young people are aware that there is a more liberal attitude on the part of the police to cannabis possession. But I think it’s too early to say if that change of attitude will have an impact,” he said.According to previously unpublished research by Life Education Centres, a drug prevention charity whose patron is Prince Charles, more children now believed cannabis was “safe”..

Pro-euro campaigners are to post “footsoldiers” at ports, airports and the Waterloo gateway to the Channel Tunnel to sell the virtues of the currency to UK holidaymakers. Prices are 15 per cent higher here than on the Continent,” a BiE spokesman said.The move follows Tony Blair’s warm remarks about the single currency in a recent BBC interview.Michael Heseltine, a prominent euro supporter, yesterday welcomed those remarks and called on Mr Blair to show real leadership on the euro.At a Britain in Europe conference in Birmingham, the former Deputy Prime Minister said: “My first reaction, in common with most pro-Europeans, was ‘about time too’. After all, it seems to me that the only ingredient missing in the recipe for British membership of the euro is political leadership.”Only the Prime Minister and his government can lead a successful referendum campaign. Without that leadership, pro-European supporters will remain reluctant and hesitant.”Yesterday, the Co-operative movement announced its support for the euro at its annual conference..

The British Government has put a block on the sale to India of 60 Hawk jets worth £1bn as part of an arms embargo aimed at averting war between India and Pakistan, which both have nuclear weapons. Pakistan said four civilians had been killed.The Independent on Sunday has learnt the ban on all arms export licences to India and Pakistan ­ worth £64m and £6m last year respectively ­ was signed by Patricia Hewitt, the Trade and Industry Secretary, on Thursday. It may be extended to for “dual use” goods such as Land Rovers.The decision underlines the extreme anxiety felt in London and other capitals at the most serious threat of a nuclear exchange since the Cuban missile crisis in the 1960s. The Ghauri missile tested by Pakistan yesterday is capable of carrying a nuclear or conventional warhead nearly 1,000 miles into India.The crisis yesterday drew concern from President George W Bush and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, who were continuing their summit in St Petersburg. Mr Bush urged Pakistan’s President Pervez Musharraf to fulfill his pledge to stop militants from carrying out raids in the Indian-controlled sector of Kashmir.

The two countries have massed a million soldiers along the border following a militant attack on the Indian Parliament in December.. Tony Blair is under pressure to make special advisers donate part of their salary to help the Labour Party’s cash crisis. Now senior MPs and some ministers are calling on the Prime Minister to impose a similar tithe on spin-doctors and other party-appointed advisers.The wage bill for such advisers – most of it picked up by the taxpayer – is now £4.2m a year. Donations from them could raise around £336,000 by the next election to supplement the £1.5m contribution expected from MPs.One senior Labour backbencher, who did not wish to be named, said yesterday: “There is certainly a case for special advisers being asked to pay – and ministers from their topped-up salaries You could also say senior party officers should too. Why should it only be MPs that pay?”A minister said he was sympathetic: “These are political appointments They earn plenty of money. It’s absolutely right that they should have to pay – and it’d go some way to sorting out the party finances.”Labour is thought to be around £10m in debt following the 2001 general election, despite the massive donations it received from a number of private businessmen.The likelihood of future donations being quite so free-flowing has been called into question following a series of high-profile funding scandals.. President George Bush and his good friend Vladimir Putin yesterday left aside scepticism over their “fast-food” missile treaty and took a tour of St Petersburg, Mr Putin’s home town, where the sun scarcely sets at this time of year.