JUST after today's cabinet meeting, Monmouth MP David Davies, whose constituency covers Ponthir, grilled Tony Blair over the threatened closure of the village primary school.

At Prime Minister's Question Time in the House of Commons, Mr Davies asked: "If education is such a priority for the Labour government, can the prime minister tell us why Torfaen Labour council is considering trying to shut down the best-performing school in the borough?"

He called on Mr Blair to investigate and offer a "few words of support" to parents of youngsters at Ponthir School.

Mr Davies was cheered by his colleagues when he referred to a well-run local school being shut down by a Labour council "that can't keep its books in order".

Mr Blair replied that he did not know enough about the circumstances of this particular school, but added he was happy to look into it.

But he said decisions had to be made locally.

He said a recent policy document said there should be greater devolution of school decisions to local people and local authorities.

"That local devolution is what is being followed," Mr Blair said.