WHY did not the Con-Dem Government allow more time to examine its education plans? What do they not want people to know about?

It is flabbergasting that terrorists, dangerous dogs and England’s schools are the only topics of legislation to have been forced through the House of Commons with such haste.

Education Secretary Michael Gove said his educational reforms needed to pass quickly because England had seen a decline against international comparators. He cited Sweden as an example of a country said to be doing well.

However, according to the Programme for International Student Assessment, the UK was seventh in reading literacy in 2000 (Sweden was 9th) and ninth in science in 2006 (Sweden was 16th).

The next data will be published on in December this year.

This is not a good reason for such rushed legislation.

Coun James Alexander, Leader of City of York Council’s Labour Opposition Group, Holgate Road, Holgate, York.