Ref. 28773-12A SWINDON family are dismayed increased university tuition fees are a step closer after the Government scraped a House of Commons victory on the issue.

On Tuesday evening the Government won a vote on the second reading of the Higher Education Bill by 316 to 311 the closest vote under Tony Blair.

But many fear the Bill, which could see universities charging up to £3,000, would be a disaster for families on low incomes.

The Bill, if passed, would come into force in 2006, and affect students currently studying for GCSEs.

Bernadette Vaughan, 38, says the existing upfront fees of £1,125, are already making her daughter Sasha, 17, think twice about going to university to study forensic science.

The top-up fees would affect her 15-year-old daughter Rhian, who is doing GCSEs at St Joseph's School.

Mrs Vaughan said: "It is going to be crippling for some families to send their children to university. They say it is not going to be elitist but we are being spun a line.

"It will create a greater gulf between the haves and the have-nots.

"It was such a narrow margin that clearly their own MPs don't even agree with it."

Under the proposals, upfront fees will be scrapped and universities can set the level of tuition fees, which could vary depending on the subject and university to a maximum of £3,000. The Government has said this will stay in place until 2010.

Fees would be repayable on graduation by those earning more than £15,000. Poorer students would get maintenance grants of up to £1,500 a year on top of a £1,200 deduction in fees.

Universities say variable top-up fees would help rectify 20 years of under-investment in higher education. Heads of institutions around the country urged MPs to vote for the Bill in an advert published in a number of national papers.

Prof Glynis Breakwell, vice chancellor of the University of Bath in Swindon, was one of the 74 signatories.

She said it made sense for different courses to have different fees.

"The University of Bath runs highly successful four-year degree programmes in

which our students spend the third year outside the university on professional placement.

"While some students take paid placements, others do not. It is vital the university has the power to charge students less during their placement than at other times in their course."

Bhavani Vadde