The three main parties were on Friday at odds over pupil exclusion figures and what should be done with unruly pupils.

David Blunkett announced on Friday that there had been a fall of nearly 2,000 in the number of pupils excluded from school last year.

The education secretary added that the government's focus would now be on further improvements in provision for excluded pupils and in providing in-school units - and that no new exclusion targets would be set.

Official figures showed a drop in annual permanent exclusions of 18 per cent to 8,600.Blunkett said the government would now concentrate on improving the education of excluded children.

"The priority now is to ensure that excluded pupils receive a full-time education and that schools can manage disruptive children outside the classroom," he said.

"I want to see this substantial investment become embedded and used to tackle underlying problems of poor behaviour. I also want all Local Education Authorities to drive ahead with providing a suitable, full-time education for all excluded pupils from September 2002 at the latest."We are giving heads the full support they need to tackle disruptive and violent behaviour, including the use of exclusion where appropriate. We have clarified the exclusion guidance to emphasise that heads can permanently exclude pupils who are very disruptive or violent.Theresa May, the Tory shadow education secretary, accused Labour of siding with unruly children.

"The government has consistently undermined head teachers in imposing discipline in their schools. These latest figures are testament to the fact that the government has put the rights of the unruly minority ahead of the mainstream majority. It should be ashamed," she said.

May added: "David Blunkett boasts that now schools have met his damaging targets he does not intend to order them to cut expulsions further. He should have thought of that before he had done incalculable harm to thousands of childrens' education."

Lib Dem education spokesman, Phil Willis, welcomed the figures arguing there was a practical reason why disruptive pupils needed to be educated.

"I am pleased that fewer students are being expelled. People should now concentrate on rehabilitating these children. My argument has always been with the Conservatives is that a high percentage of crime is committed by young people out of school or who have a history of exclusion. The cost is absolutely enormous," he said.

Willis said the government should also look at the provision for teacher training.

"The government needs to equip new teachers to deal with challenging behaviour. At the moment this is totally missing," he said.