THE University of York has attacked plans for a new watchdog to ensure youngsters from poorer backgrounds get college places.

It says it will closely study Government proposals to allow it to charge top-up fees of up to £3,000 a year, examining the "potential and drawbacks".

Vice-Chancellor Professor Brian Cantor spoke out following Education Secretary Charles Clarke's announcement yesterday on the future funding of universities.

The Minister is proposing an "access regulator" to ensure universities have plans to encourage more youngsters from poorer backgrounds before they will be allowed to charge the top-up fees.

But Prof Cantor says the regulator will be an unnecessary extra layer of bureaucracy.

"It would add nothing to the extensive work under way in universities to widen access," he said.

He said 80 per cent of York's students already came from the state sector, in contrast to many other leading universities.

He welcomed the extra funds for universities, which were needed to support teaching, research and staff pay.

"As the leading teaching university, one of the strongest research performers and a university with a new and comprehensive human resources strategy, we are confident that we can satisfy these criteria."

Meanwhile, a York student, who yesterday tackled the Education Secretary over the new proposals, claimed that they represented a "bad blow" for students. Rory Palmer attended a briefing with Mr Clarke in London yesterday on behalf of the university's students.

He felt the return of the maintenance grant for poorest students was merely a token gesture, and top-up fees would mean students choosing courses not only on the basis of whether they could afford to take part, but also on whether they would be "profitable" in the long run so they could pay off the debts.

Updated: 12:14 Thursday, January 23, 2003