CONSERVATIVE parliamentary candidate Karen Lumley has questioned the Prime Minister's claim that funding for Worcestershire schoolchildren has improved - a claim made during his visit to Redditch.

Mrs Lumley criticised Tony Blair's comments on his Kingsley College visit. He claimed county pupils received an extra £700 each since Labour came to power.

But Ms Lumley said more should be done to bridge the gap between funding in Worcestershire and other counties.

"As a chairman of a governing body in a school in Redditch, I would like him to explain to us how this £700 figure is made up and how he can justify children 11 miles down the road receiving in real terms funding £750 per head more than our own children," she said.

But Labour MP Jacqui Smith repeated funding for Redditch pupils had increased dramatically under Labour.

She said that by 2006, funding for Worcestershire students would have risen by more than £700 in nine years.

"I was pleased to hear the Prime Minister say funding arrangements are kept under review by the government and I have taken up the matter with ministers myself.

"Within Worcestershire, the Conservative-led county council has consistently failed to direct surplus cash from the government's standards funds to schools that need most support within the county. Such a scheme would clearly benefit schools in Redditch," she said.