How many sex offenders in schools? No idea

• Ruth Kelly does not know how many sex offenders work in schools

• Kelly, the Education Secretary, has ordered an inquiry

• Kelly conceded some sex offenders had been kept off List 99

Key quote

"Initial inquiries indicate that there have been a small number of cases where ministers have made the decision not to include on List 99 an individual on the sex offenders' register," - Ms Kelly

Story in full RUTH Kelly, the Education Secretary, last night admitted she does not know how many registered sex offenders her department has allowed to work in schools.

In a humiliating confession as she ordered an inquiry into the affair, Ms Kelly said she was "not in full knowledge" of allegedly low-risk cases - although reports said at least ten offenders had been cleared for school work.

And pressure on her mounted as Michael Bichard, who headed the inquiry into the Soham killings, said he was "disappointed" the lessons of the tragedy had not been applied.

The growing scandal threatens to damage the Prime Minister, Tony Blair, who was yesterday forced into climb-downs over the Northern Ireland peace process and plans for a smoking ban in England.

Ms Kelly has been caught in a growing storm caused by the decision to allow Paul Reeve, who was cautioned by police for downloading child pornography, to work as a PE teacher in a Norwich secondary school. He has since resigned.

Ms Kelly conceded there might be several cases where sex offenders had been kept off the government's so-called List 99 of people not permitted to work in the English school system.

No10 was also forced to issue an unusual assurance that she would not be sacked or moved in the coming Cabinet reshuffle. But despite that support, Mr Blair is concerned at the way Ms Kelly has handled the affair. He is believed to be considering cutting her powers to approve teaching staff.

The Prime Minister is said to have reprimanded her at a meeting on Monday. And after she admitted to MPs that other sex offenders were working in schools, Downing Street made clear Ms Kelly had not done enough to resolve the crisis. That forced the secretary of state into an embarrassing impromptu statement in her office, where she took "full personal responsibility" for any contentious decisions.

"Initial inquiries indicate that there have been a small number of cases where ministers have made the decision not to include on List 99 an individual on the sex offenders' register," Ms Kelly told MPs yesterday lunchtime.

At that time, her aides were claiming that junior ministers had approved those decisions. After No10's intervention, she said the blame lay firmly with her. And last night it emerged a copy of the letter from the Department of Education to Reeve, leaked to Channel 4 news, appeared to back the suggestion that Ms Kelly was personally involved in the decision to let him work in schools.

It stated that "she" had given significant weight to "advice from her senior medical officer, who did not believe you [Reeve] presented a risk to children".

As she ordered a review of all possible cases where sex offenders have been cleared to work with pupils, Ms Kelly yesterday repeatedly refused to say how many there might be: "It's important I don't mislead the public or parliament with any figures delivered now, not in the full knowledge of all of those cases."

The review of List 99 rules is expected to be complete in days. When that happens, No10 insiders want to strip Ms Kelly of her power over the list and hand it to an independent panel.

The Conservatives attacked Ms Kelly over her handling of the scandal, while the National Confederation of Parent Teacher Associations said the fact that more offenders could be working in schools was "terrifying".

Yet despite those doubts, Downing Street broadly backed Ms Kelly. "It's right to have a fundamental review of the processes," said Mr Blair's official spokesman. "The Prime Minister is fully satisfied that Ruth Kelly is taking the issue seriously and is looking seriously at the whole question."

He added: "Reports suggesting Ruth Kelly's job was in jeopardy are simply wrong."

The 2002 case of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, murdered by the school caretaker Ian Huntley, highlighted the dangers. Huntley slipped through police checks supposed to stop those who might be a danger to children from working in schools.

Last night, the man who headed the Soham inquiry suggested Ms Kelly's department should have found time to close loopholes in the wake of his findings. Sir Michael Bichard said: "I was suggesting one barring or registration scheme. I didn't have to take account of the sex offenders' register because Huntley wasn't on it, but what I was saying was, 'Let's have one register'."

Suggesting his recommendations had not been acted on because time had not been set aside in parliament, he said:

"I know there is pressure on legislative time, but this is a priority and, therefore, I'm disappointed that it's not been possible yet to find that time." He added: "For the sake of public confidence, we ought rapidly to try to move to a situation where, if you're on the sex offenders' register, you don't work with children."

In Scotland, the final decision to approve someone to work in schools rests with the General Teaching Council. A spokesman said: "We're confident our checks are of the necessary depth to ensure that something like this doesn't happen here."

Meanwhile, there was more trouble for Mr Blair last night as his school reforms were savaged by Neil Kinnock. The ex-Labour leader

attacked the proposals to create independent state schools in England as "at best a distraction and at worst dangerous".

There was also trouble for Labour with an embarrassing U-turn over an amnesty for fugitive Northern Irish paramilitaries. The plan to forgive the "on-the-runs" and members of the army and police for old offences was opposed by all sides.

Blair's rising star brought back down to earth

UNTIL this week, the most controversial fact that had emerged about Ruth Kelly was her membership of Opus Dei, the Catholic sect that has been caricatured in popular culture for its practice of corporal mortification.

Yesterday, the Education Secretary's critics called for Ms Kelly to exercise the same degree of self-flagellation.

Born in Northern Ireland and educated at the exclusive Westminster School, and Queen's College, Oxford, Ms Kelly had a glittering academic and professional career.

Elected to Westminster in 1997, she was the number three at the Treasury before being promoted to the Cabinet by Tony Blair, left, in 2004. At 36, she was its youngest member.

The mother of four children, she has been praised for juggling her career and family life, but her stock has fallen since her promotion to the Cabinet, where she has failed to impress colleagues or teachers.