Ministers accused of 'softening us up' for top-up fees

A shake-up of universities with the prospect of students paying top-up fees is the most controversial proposal.

Ministers will also move to curb truancy, with the possibility of stiffer fines or jail sentences for parents who condone it. A strategy document outlining the Government's plans for higher education will be published early next year.

Top-up fees are just one of several options being considered, alongside a graduate tax and the reintroduction of means-tested grants.

Officials said existing legislation might allow the introduction of top-up fees. The Government is allowed to "fine" universities £1 of their grant for every £1 earned from introducing top-up fees and it might be enough simply to announce that these powers would no longer be used.

Labour has a manifesto commitment not to allow top-up fees in this Parliament, so they probably cannot be introduced for three years. The issue is causing a split in Labour ranks with even some cabinet ministers opposed to top-up fees. David Blunkett, a former secretary of state for education, is one of the biggest opponents. A total of 92 backbench Labour MPs, including five former ministers, have signed a Commons early-day motion condemning them.

Critics argue that their introduction would lead to a two-tier university system, with students from poorer families unlikely to be able to afford to go to elite universities introducing the charges. Already Imperial College in London is backing their introduction, with talk of fees of up to £15,000 a year, although the most likely figure is around £4,000 to £6,000. In her speech, the Queen indicated that the university reforms would "improve access and build on excellence".

Damian Green, the Conservatives' education spokesman, said the Government was "softening people up" for higher tuition fees. "They should stop dithering and come clean about their intentions," he said.

Education will also play its part in the war on anti-social behaviour. Measures to curb truancy and improve discipline in schools will be announced in the next few weeks.

Charles Clarke, the Secretary of State for Education, is considering on-the-spot fines for parents found with truanting children. Truancy sweeps in shopping centres will be stepped up, with police and education welfare officers having powers to send children back to school.

Aides insisted that Mr Clarke had an open mind on whether on-the-spot fines would work. "He really is considering it," said a spokeswoman for the Department for Education and Skills.

Other moves include more parenting orders, whereby parents can be ordered by courts to accompany their children to school or attend classes to ensure they learn better parenting skills. The possibility of stiffer fines and longer jail sentences is also an option.

Education welfare officers criticised on-the-spot fines as "fraught with difficulties". The Association for Education Welfare Management said it had worked hard at developing strategies with pupils and their parents to encourage them to attend school. "The aim of full attendance will not be helped if the service is now to be seen by parents, pupils and the public at large as purely 'enforcers'."

The drive to cut truancy was backed by headteachers' leaders. David Hart, general secret-ary of the National Association of Head Teachers, said: "I welcome any attempt to crack down on truancy and I am looking forward to seeing further measures to deal with parents who simply aren't willing to ensure that their children regularly attend school."

Gwen Evans, deputy general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, said: "The Government is right to recognise that truancy and other behavioural issues are part of the jigsaw that has to be tackled to enable teachers to raise standards. What parents in difficulties need is access to a range of effective support services. Otherwise, there's a real risk that the cost of improving school attendances will destroy already struggling families. It cannot make sense to deal with one problem by creating another."

At present about 50,000 pupils a day play truant and, despite earlier government measures to reduce the figures, they have remained stubbornly the same for years.

The Queen also said that secondary school reforms would "continue to promote opportunity and choice through greater diversity for parents and pupils". This will mean the drive to create more specialist schools and open City Acad-emies – sponsored by businesses, voluntary groups or churches – continuing.

Mr Clarke has indicated that schools will be able to ditch the national curriculum and set pay scales for teachers to give them more freedom from state control, if they can satisfy inspectors about their standards.