TONY BLAIR disclosed last night that he was caned at school and said:

''It probably did me no harm.''

However, although he backs ''strong discipline'' in schools, he came

out against bringing back corporal punishment for school children.

Mr Blair, who attended Fettes College in Edinburgh, said on last

night's BBC Panorama programme: ''I'm actually someone who received the

cane when I was in school. It probably did me no harm.''

He was filmed talking to a couple in Southampton. They have been the

victims of five attempted break-ins, two successful, and want the cane

brought back into schools.

Mr Blair told them: ''I agree that we need strong discipline. I

wouldn't agree with you on the cane, but I think you can have other

forms of punishment for kids.''

He also insisted: ''I do believe there would be less crime under

Labour.''

Mr Blair's caning probably would have been administered by the-then

headmaster of Fettes, Dr Ian McIntosh, who retired in 1971, the year the

future Labour leader left the school. Dr McIntosh died in 1975.

The college's current headmaster, Mr Malcolm Thyne, said yesterday:

''Although there is a strong emphasis on discipline and good behaviour

at Fettes, corporal punishment was discontinued some 15 years ago.''

The 476-pupil college, one of Scotland's leading public schools,

celebrates its 125th anniversary this year. It went co-

educational 25 years ago.

In last night's programme, Mr Blair supported the use of school league

tables, but said the existing system is ''crude'', and called for more

information to be included in them.

Mr Blair also emphasised the importance of the family.

''The family is an important unit and people from my political

persuasion on the left of centre have got to recognise that,'' he said.

''We want to provide all the support and assistance for families to

thrive,'' he said.

On single mothers, he said: ''We have this debate about single parents

as if most single parents want to be single parents. They don't.'' The

vast majority were on their own ''because their partners have walked out

on them''.

* The party conference yesterday called for a wholesale review of the

Child Support Agency to make it more responsive to families' needs.

James Taylor, of the Society of Labour Lawyers, said the CSA -- set up

to ensure absent parents paid child maintenance -- had failed those it

was designed to help, the children of lone parents.