No pacifier to accompany top up fees

Tuesday, 9 December 2003 12:36 AM

The Government's higher education bill will not contain details of maintenance grants for poorer students, according to reports.

It was thought, with the Government seemingly intent on pursuing the controversial top up tuition fees policy, grants would help pacify the sizeable body of disgruntled backbench Labour MPs.

However, the BBC says the grants clause will come in future secondary legislation.

The Government faces a potential defeat in the vote on whether to allow universities to charge £3,000 a year for tuition. Students will start to pay back the fees when they graduate and start to earn over £15,000-a-year.

Some Labour MPs are calling on the Government to raise the threshold for repayments to £18,000 or £20,000.

And Higher Education Minister Alan Johnson has hinted there could be a face saving re-negotiation on the figure.

He said: "This is not die-in-a-ditch stuff about where we set the threshold." But he warned the principle of variable £3,000-a-year fees would not be scrapped."

The legislation will be published next month.

Overall, a total of 156 Labour MPs have signed an early day motion expressing their disapproval to the plans.

The bill will fail if 81 Labour MPs vote with opposition MPs against the flagship policy.

The Prime Minister has admitted his credibility as leader is "on the line" over the issue.

Former foreign secretary Robin Cook called on Tony Blair last night to think again about the unpopular policy.

"I would say to Tony Blair there is nothing dishonourable in canvassing opinion and then discovering the majority against you," Mr Cook said in a speech in Glasgow.

Earlier he said he hoped Mr Blair would not "push this deeply divisive issue to a vote."

Meanwhile, Education Secretary Charles Clarke last night hosted the first of a series of "seminars" with Labour MPs in a bid to reinforce the Government's case for top-up fees.

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