WHEN Tony Blair announced to the media that he was considering cutting child benefit payments to mothers of children who skip school, I wonder if he actually realised that what he was saying was very thoughtless and that the bigger picture hasn't been looked at?

Let me explain. Is Mr Blair going to stop the benefit to a mother whose child is being bullied and is too frightened to go to school? What about the child who couldn't care less if his mother got child benefit or not?

That is only two examples that in my opinion scupper his idea, but child truancy is obviously an area for concern and does need looking at.

When I was at school, if you were a constant truant you were sent to an attendance centre on a Saturday and spent an allotted number of hours over a few weeks doing menial tasks, litter picking etc.

Why not bring this regime back for the hard-core truants, if they won't attend school during school time make them attend in their own time.

I know which option I would choose.

P R Willey,

Burnholme Drive,

Heworth, York.

Updated: 12:45 Tuesday, May 07, 2002