SCHOOLS Minister Jacqui Smith came under fire from education campaigners again this week following a letter in a national Sunday newspaper.

Funding campaigner Helen Donovan hit out at the Redditch MP's claims, branding the letter defending the financial state of schools as "appalling".

Ms Smith said most schools were in good financial health and claimed 21,000 had budget surpluses totalling more than £1.5 billion and those carrying deficits had fallen by 20 per cent in the last year.

Her letter added: "School funding is at record levels, with funding per pupil now 36 per cent higher in real terms than in 1997 - equivalent to an increase of £1,070 per pupil - and we will continue to build on this with an average increase of 6.8 per cent per pupil next year."

But Mrs Donovan argued schools did not have the increases quoted, claiming Worcestershire pupils had been relegated by 83 per cent against the national average and 121 per cent against Birmingham since Labour came to office.

"And all this from an MP who is not only Schools Minister but an MP representing one of the lowest funded authorities in the country - I don't know how she can sleep at night," she added.

Ms Smith replied: "As a former teacher in Redditch and Worcestershire, a former governor in Worcestershire, a former pupil in Worcestershire and now a parent of children in Redditch schools, I know there has never been more money for education in the county.

"That's because of the decisions taken by the Labour Government since 1997.

"I will always work to ensure Worcestershire gets more money.''