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Tories Delay Education BillThe Conservative Opposition has succeeded in delaying the progress of a centrepiece of the new Labour government's legislative plans.The Education (Schools) bill was scheduled to complete its stages in the House of Commons last night. It aims to reduce infant class sizes to less than 30 using funds from the abolition of an assisted-places scheme enabling children of the less well-off to attend private schools. But numerous lengthy Tory speeches, discussing the bill line by line, reduced progress to a snail's pace and it became clear that, if allowed to continue, debate would last all night and into the morning. By 1.15am, after more than nine hours of debate, consideration of only two of the Bill's seven clauses had been completed, and Government Chief Whip Nick Brown acted to postpone further debate until another day. Cheryl Gillan, for the Opposition, earlier claimed the Government was pressing ahead with "indecent haste". She urged a three-year delay to allow ministers time to "pause and reflect", warning: "Many children and families will suffer as a result of this legislation." But Education Minister of State Stephen Byers dismissed her accusations, insisting: "We believe we are moving in a fashion which will deliver on a very clear pledge that we made to the British people during the General Election. We make no apology for that."
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Diana, Princess of Wales, 1961-1997
Conference 97
Devolution
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