600 children are mugged in school every day, the majority of which go unreported. These figures are not represented in the government’s statistics as crimes committed by those under 16 are not included in the national stats.

We know the reason why these muggings happen. Drugs are a part of every day life for many young people in many schools. Mobile phones and iPods, the must have accessories for any teenager, are easy prey.

Finding the answer to the problem is difficult one, because it is about more than the easy availability of drugs.

The school muggings are simply another manifestation of ‘Breakdown Britain’ as identified by Iain Duncan Smith in his recent report.

Under the superficial surface of everyday national life, British society is disintegrating as strands of moral fibre snap, one by one.

When giving my speech yesterday I mentioned Ian’s report. The recently sacked  Labour Chief Whip Hilary Armstrong cackled and squawked from her seat “where is he then?” over and over again, because IDS was not in his seat in the chamber.

It gave me the hugest pleasure to inform her, that whilst we were sitting in the chamber talking about the problems of social exclusion and deprivation, IDS was in Balsall Heath in Birmingham with his sleeves rolled up, working on two community projects with voluntary workers - looking for, and talking to people who really knew the answers. That woman will never learn to shut up.