LONDON, April 29: A ‘minuscule’ amount of cannabis has been found at the Scottish home of British Defence Secretary John Reid, police and sources close to the minister said on Saturday.

Strathclyde police said less than one gram of cannabis resin, with a street value of 85 pence, had been found in Mr Reid’s home during a routine security search, but that no charges would be brought.

A source close to Mr Reid said the drug had probably been there for 20 years, during which time hundreds of people have been in the house. He said Mr Reid had moved into the house in the 1980s with his first wife, who has since died.

John Corrigan, assistant chief constable of Strathclyde, said in a statement the owner of the house had cooperated fully with police and was not suspected of committing any crime or offence.

Prime Minister Tony Blair’s government is currently mired in a series of scandals.—Reuters