DAVID Cameron was dragged into the controversy over a fresh blow to plans to rebuild crumbling North-East schools when the row was raised in the Commons.

The Northern Echo revealed last week that schemes at at least five ageing schools had been thrown into jeopardy, after the collapse of a private finance deal to fund them.

The completion date at four schools in the Sunderland area - including Hetton Secondary School and Shiney Row Primary, in Houghton le Spring - has been put back by at least one year.

One school in County Durham, Seaham School of Technology, is part of the Sunderland scheme and up to 18 others elsewhere in the North-East may also be affected.

In the Commons, the issue was raised by Grahame Morris, the Easington MP, who said: "Will the Prime Minister acknowledge that the real reason for the latest 15-month delay in the proposed PFI-funded scheme in my constituency, and others, is that the banks - which continue to pay themselves huge bonuses - simply refuse to lend the money on the 25-year term demanded?"

Mr Morris urged Mr Cameron to put pressure on Latin-loving Education Secretary Michael Gove, adding: "Perhaps he might say, 'Optamus schola nova' - we need our new school?"

In reply, the Prime Minister said: "I will leave the Latin to the Mayor of London, if that is all right, but I will certainly have a word with the Education Secretary."

Yesterday, the department for education (Dfe), insisted the rebuilding schemes would go ahead, adding: "We are looking at a range of private finance options, including bonds, and expect to come to market shortly after spring."