FISCAL fines for possession of a small amount of soft drugs such as

cannabis are likely to be introduced in Scotland, Scottish Home Affairs

Minister Lord Fraser of Carmyllie has indicated.

Lord Fraser denied the fines, likely to be between #30 and #45,

involved decriminalisation of drug possession, although he anticipated

that if a fine was accepted it would not appear on an individual's

criminal record.

In an interview for the BBC TV Scottish Lobby programme tonight, Lord

Fraser denied that introducing fiscal fines would mean the Government

was going soft on drugs.

What was being suggested was extending the range of fines. In England,

many people caught for the first time with simple possession of cannabis

receive a caution.

Lord Fraser said he expected that if an individual with one fine

already against him for possession were to come before the

procurator-fiscal again for the same offence, he would be prosecuted.

One of the attractions of fiscal fines is that it would relieve the

courts from having to deal with comparatively minor offences, while

providing a warning to offenders that the next time they would not get

off so lightly.

Action on fiscal fines is unlikely to be speedy. A Scottish White

Paper on the current review of various aspects of criminal law may be

published in the autumn but it could be session 1995-96 before

legislation is introduced.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister has appointed a Minister to act as

co-ordinator in the fight against drug dealing and using.

Mr Tony Newton, Leader of the Commons, has been given the job of

sorting out differences between Whitehall departments on the right

strategy.

Scottish Secretary Ian Lang, whose department runs most of the areas

covered by three English departments, is likely to retain a free hand.

Scotland has a single department which can deal with all aspects of

the drugs problems, which range from the activities of drug barons, to

associated health problems and the education of schoolchildren about the

dangers of drug use.

Mr Major has concluded that in England differences between the Home

Office and the health and education departments are hampering the fight

against drug abuse, while Customs and Excise and other involved agencies

tend to go their own way.

The Government is now devoting #500m to an anti-drugs campaign and Mr

Newton has been asked to devise a blueprint for tackling the problem. He

is expected to announce the first measures in the summer.

* Mr Major yesterday brushed aside accusations that he was a liability

to the Tory Party and proclaimed: ''I am very confident about the future

and I am very confident about the economic future of the country.''

He spoke out as he toured parts of London.