Fewer than one-fifth of 18-year-olds in Bradford are going on to university, it was revealed as MPs voted on controversial student top-up fees.Prime Min-ister Tony Blair overcame a backbench revolt on variable fees to win the vote last night. An amendment to kill top-up fees was defeated narrowly by 316 votes to 288 - a Government majority of 28.The Government and opposition parties, who clashed over the controversial Higher Educ-ation Bill in the Commons yesterday, rowed over the figures.Ministers said they made the case for tuition fees of up to £3,000 a year, which would raise an extra £1 billion for universities and fund thousands of extra places. But the Liberal Democrats said the Govern-ment would instead undermine its own goal of get-ting 50 per cent of youngsters to attend university - with many deterred by the prospect of be-ing saddled with huge debts.In Bradford in 2002, 18.6 per cent of youngsters went on to higher education. The England aver-age was 22 per cent.Phil Willis, Liberal Democrat education spokesman, said: "Students from poorer backgrounds will be the greatest losers should the HE Bill be passed."But a Government spokes-man said the package - which includes an end to up-front fees of £1,125 and the re-instatement of grants worth up to £1,500 a year - was designed to remove the deterrent to attending."We have said that we want to see 50 per cent of our young people going to university," he said. "To do that, we have to make sure there is a grant and sup-port available for those who qualify and - crucially - that there is a place available. That is what we are doing with our higher education re-forms."During its second read-ing in January, the Higher Education Bill was passed with a majority of only five, the smallest of Tony Blair's pre-miership.Labour backbencher Mike Wood, who represents Batley and Spen, joined the top-up fees rebellion.Labour MPs Ann Cryer (Keighley), Paul Truswell (Pudsey) and Harold Best (Leeds North West) did not vote.But Chris Leslie (Shipley), Gerry Sutcliffe (Bradford South), Marsha Singh (Brad-ford West) and Terry Rooney (Bradford North) supported the Government.Conservative MP David Curry (Skipton and Ripon) also opposed top-up fees.