As far as education and discipline are concerned, things appear to be going from bad to worse.

Tony Blair's solution is to deduct benefits from the parents of children who play truant... since when have two wrongs made a right?

What of parents to whom a paltry few pounds of benefit money is normally used to tip the waitress in Brighton and Hove's casinos? What of the children in the private sector who play truant, shoplift and deal in drugs?

There is, of course, a solution which has never been tried: Make schools the place to be, with clean, warm swimming pools, tennis courts, gyms, playing fields, pottery classes, drama, music for all, dance and delicious real food (as opposed to polystyrene chips and MDF-flavoured burgers).

Smaller classes should be the number-one priority.

That would immediately curb the growing number of illiterate children leaving school today. Britain boasts the highest number of illiterates in Europe, as well as having the highest single-parent rate.

-J Madders, Orchard Gardens, Hove