Blunkett: Committed to fulfilling manifesto promise

Assisted Places Scheme To Be Scrapped

Opening the debate, The Education and Employment Secretary David Blunkett Blunkett said: "We have a choice between excellence for a few, or high quality education for the many. We are in favour of the many and not simply the few." Insisting that class size mattered, he said that by scrapping the scheme, which provides subsidies for 43,000 pupils in private schools, money could be diverted to the state sector, cutting infant class sizes to 30 or under.

The Bill, which repeals the Secretary of State's duty to run an assisted places scheme and introduces transitional arrangements during the phasing out period, honours one of Labour's key election pledges.

Shephard: Vindictive Bill

Shadow Education and Employment Secretary Gillian Shephard branded the legislation a "mean little Bill", driven by dogma. She promised strong opposition to any attempt to replace parental choice with central planning. She said, "New Labour has promised us measured thinking. The abolition of the Assisted Places Scheme is the politics of the mob. If the Government wanted to drive up standards and to encourage excellence, it would not bring forward the vindictive Education (Schools) Bill..."

Bill an article of faith

Pledging that the money saved would help transform the education system after "two decades of neglect", Mr Blunkett said: "This Bill is more than simply a transfer of resources, more than simply a way of lowering class sizes. It is an article of faith. It's about indicating to Britain as a whole that this Government have a different set of values and a different intent in the way in which we address the needs of the individual and the nation." The Bill was given it's second reading by 413 votes to 153, a government majority of 260.