A ROW over whether two teenage arsonists who caused millions of pounds damage to a Hampshire school should be named and shamed will be raised in Parliament.

Romsey MP Sandra Gidley has pledged to quiz Home Secretary David Blunkett over why the 17-year-old boys who set alight Thornden School in Chandler's Ford causing damage worth £3m are to remain anonymous.

She said: "David Blunkett has long claimed that we need to nip this sort of problem in the bud. Here he's got an opportunity to maybe do something about it."

The campaigning MP wants to see the law changed on protecting juvenile criminals - and she wants the government to take more control of judge's decisions.

According to Home Office and legal bosses, restriction orders are down to the judge.

A spokesman from the Department for Constitutional Affairs said it was a "matter of judicial discretion".

But Mrs Gidley criticised the "out of our hands" mentality.

"The government has a role in setting legal guidelines - the government makes the rules after all. Judicial discretion I am sure can be changed," she said.

Yesterday the Daily Echo revealed that vandalism and arson attacks will cost Hampshire taxpayers £11m. The shocking figures came after Judge David Griffiths at Southampton Crown Court imposed a ban on identifying the Chandler's Ford fireraisers.

His actions triggered a landslide of angry reaction from Daily Echo readers.

Scores of people have telephoned the newsdesk calling for the troublemakers, both aged 17, to be named.

There have been hardly any calls in support of the identification ban on the duo.