Youth and Family Minister André Rouvoet says he is not in favour of drug tests at junior schools as it will be an invasion of pupils' privacy.

The minister was responding to a proposal by Rotterdam Councillor Ronald Geluk calling for all junior schools in the city to be supplied with urine testing kits. Councillor Geluk's plan calls for voluntary drug testing. Minister Rouvoet says he cannot prevent the proposal being put into force as it is a purely voluntary scheme.

Mr Rouvoet, leader of the Christian Union party, says it is not up to schools to monitor students' drug use although he is in favour of drug education programmes.