The ever thorny issue of Government travel sparked a row in the Parliament yesterday after Tourism Minister David Allen claimed the PLP had "shamed'' the UBP into flying business class rather than first class when they were in power.

In a long speech on the merits of the budget, the Minister referred to the Opposition several times as "schizophrenics'' and attempting to stop their heckling said: "Schizophrenics often become abusive, it's a behaviour of their condition.'' Mr. Allen criticised the Opposition's repeated attempts to make Government travel an issue.

"It was this Government that said Ministers should travel business class not first class,'' Mr. Allen said, saying that as Government the UBP didn't change to business class until the PLP "shamed'' them into it.

"The policy of this Government,'' he said by contrast, "is Ministers travel business class unless business class is not available, then they travel first class.'' At which point UBP MP Jim Woolridge rose and asked for a point of order.

"The Minister is talking utter nonsense,'' he said. "The entire period I was a Minister, I travelled first class. There was a suggestion from a UBP Minister that we should travel economy but it was decided if the top civil servants travelled first class, the Ministers should be up there as well. What he's saying is utter nonsense.'' Opposition leader Pam Gordon tried to interject at this point that Mr.

Woolridge was speaking only of himself. "He was a Minister that travelled first class but not all the Cabinet did,'' she said.

However, Speaker Stanley Lowe said she was out of order and gave the floor back to Mr. Allen.

"David Saul must have misled this House then or Mr. Woolridge is not telling the truth,'' said Mr. Allen.

Mr. Lowe tried to interject and instruct Mr. Allen to return to matters of the budget but the Minister continued amid much heckling from both sides of the House.

But the row continued when Mr. Woolridge later referred to Mr. Allen as "the buffoon of the class''.

"That is insulting,'' the Speaker interjected to berate Mr. Woolridge.

"Let's clean it up.''