EDUCATION Secretary Charles Clarke has hinted that the Government could make it easier for parents to vote to scrap grammar schools.

Mr Clarke says he is examining possible changes to the rules on parental ballots, which could include allowing more parents to vote on the fate of individual grammar schools.

The rules have come under persistent criticism from both anti and pro-grammar school campaigners.

Opponents of selection say that ministers made the regulations complex to avoid embarrassing parental votes. Supporters say they create continued uncertainty for grammars.

Different rules apply to votes on the fate of individual grammar schools and votes on grammar schools in wholly or partially selective education authorities, such as Kent and Medway.

Mr Clarke has hinted that any rule change would be more likely to impact on those votes affecting just individual grammars.

At present, only parents of primary-aged children at 'feeder' schools for local grammar schools are entitled to a say on whether it should remain selective or become comprehensive.

In an interview, Mr Clarke said there was a question over whether that was fair.

"There is an argument for broadening the ballot to all parents affected, and it's something we can perfectly reasonably look at.

"If you conclude standards are depressed by a selective system, then what will you do about it? What is the process of change?"

Any review of the rules is also likely to lead to the Government closing a loophole, which currently allows for the first stage of any ballot process to be triggered by a petition signed by just 10 parents.

Anti-grammar school campaigners in Kent have successfully exploited the loophole in the past two years, primarily as a way of exposing what they consider to be the absurdity of the rules.

As a result, the Electoral Reform Society has had to collate information about the tens of thousands of parents who would be eligible to vote on ballots affecting any one of the country's remaining 164 grammarseven though none has taken place.

According to Government figures, £1.1 million has been spent on this preparatory work.

Becky Matthews, of Kent group STEP Stop The Eleven Plus said that parents deserved workable and easily understood regulations. "For two years, the Electoral Reform Society has failed to draw up the necessary lists because schools are not sending up details of eligible voters," she said.