BBC News On-line is reporting that ministers are considering introducing legislation to pave the way for universities to charge so called "top-up" fees before the end of the current parliament. A Labour party manifesto pledge prevents the introduction of higher university fees during the course of this parliament but the government may be keen to rush enabling legislation through enabling higher fees to be charged immediately after the next general election.

The government appears to share the concerns of university Vice-Chancellors (including prominently our own Rector, Sir Richard Sykes) that the financial pressure on universities are extremely severe and ministers may believe that universities can not wait long before extra money starts to come in - waiting until after the next election means it could take up to 7 years to have a new fee system in place.

The government is planning to publish a review of higher education funding in January next year and any proposal to introduce top-up fees will doubtless face strong opposition. Over 100 MPs have signed a motion condemning fees and ICU have set-up a website aimed at helping students write to their MP designed to help sway government opinion. Live! is also running an on-line petition against Imperial College?s current policy on fees.