A York MP has raised concerns to the House of Commons over the introduction of VAT on top of private school fees.

Labour MP for York Central, Rachael Maskell, asked for a meeting with the department over a private school in her constituency, the Steiner School, which she she could face closure due to the policy.

"(It) enables many children to access school who have anxiety or otherwise wouldn’t be in education," she said.

York Steiner School is one of 27 Waldorf Steiner schools in the UK and Ireland, and 1,100 worldwide. The York school is one of the largest and was built by its community of parents in 1984, when it moved into the site of the then closing Danesmead Secondary School by Fulford Cross.

From January, the Government plans to remove the VAT exemption and business rates relief for private schools to enable funding for 6,500 new teachers in state schools.

Currently, independent schools do not charge 20 per cent VAT on their fees because of an exemption for the supply of education.

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Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said the public backed the initiative, saying: "We were elected on a manifesto to drive high and rising standards in our state schools, the public back our policy.

"We think it is right that we prioritise investment in our state schools, where the vast majority of our children go to school."

Education minister Stephen Morgan said the number of pupils in private schools increased in the last school year, and that 13 more private schools opened than closed.

Shadow education secretary Damian Hinds said the Government’s "education tax" on private schools will lead to "bigger class sizes" and "more schools full".

Mr Hinds said: "What will ministers say next September to parents who, because of their education tax, find bigger class sizes, more schools full and fewer having been able to get their first choice school in Bristol, in Bury, in Salford, in Surrey?"

Mr Morgan replied: "The number of children in private schools has remained steady, despite a 20 per cent real terms increase in average private school fees since 2010 and a rise of 55 per cent since 2003.

"While we cannot predict closures, we will use indicators such as occupancy to monitor this. My department works with local authorities to help them fulfil their duty to secure places."