Asked by: Bridget Phillipson (Labour - Houghton and Sunderland South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the cost to the public purse was of advertising the upcoming extension to funded childcare hours.
Answered by David Johnston - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Childcare Choices is an ongoing campaign and costings will be published in the usual way in the department’s annual reports and accounts.
Asked by: Bridget Phillipson (Labour - Houghton and Sunderland South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made a recent assessment of the adequacy of the safety of school buildings in Somerset; and what recent steps she has taken to help ensure the safety of those buildings.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
It is the responsibility of those running schools, such as academy trusts and local authorities, to ensure their schools are safe and well-maintained. The department has allocated over £15 billion since 2015 for keeping schools safe and operational, including £1.8 billion committed this financial year. This funding is informed by consistent data on the school estate. In addition, the School Rebuilding Programme will transform buildings at over 500 schools across England.
When the department is made aware of a significant issue with a building that cannot be managed locally, the department provides additional support on a case-by-case basis.
Departmental officials have regular discussions with relevant professional bodies and leading material specialists to ensure that they are aware of any emerging evidence regarding the safety of construction materials used in the education estate.
Asked by: Bridget Phillipson (Labour - Houghton and Sunderland South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made a recent assessment of the adequacy of the safety of school buildings in Northumberland; and what recent steps she has taken to help ensure the safety of those buildings.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
It is the responsibility of those running schools, such as academy trusts and local authorities, to ensure their schools are safe and well-maintained. The department has allocated over £15 billion since 2015 for keeping schools safe and operational, including £1.8 billion committed this financial year. This funding is informed by consistent data on the school estate. In addition, the School Rebuilding Programme will transform buildings at over 500 schools across England.
When the department is made aware of a significant issue with a building that cannot be managed locally, the department provides additional support on a case-by-case basis.
Departmental officials have regular discussions with relevant professional bodies and leading material specialists to ensure that they are aware of any emerging evidence regarding the safety of construction materials used in the education estate.
Asked by: Bridget Phillipson (Labour - Houghton and Sunderland South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what her planned timetable is for reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete remedial works to be completed (a) overall and (b) by school.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
The government is funding the removal of RAAC present in school and colleges either through grants, or through the School Rebuilding Programme. A list of education settings with confirmed RAAC and the funding route to remove RAAC was published on 8 February and is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reinforced-autoclaved-aerated-concrete-raac-management-information.
The longer-term requirements of each school or college will vary depending on the extent of the issue, as well as the nature and design of the buildings. Permanently removing RAAC may involve the refurbishment of existing buildings, such as replacing the roof or rebuilding affected buildings.
Schools joining the School Rebuilding Programme are prioritised for delivery according to the condition need of their buildings, readiness to proceed and efficiency of delivery. For schools and colleges receiving grants, the department will work with the responsible bodies to support them through the grants process as they undertake the buildings works to remove RAAC permanently. The department is working with responsible bodies to take forward this work as quickly as possible.
Asked by: Bridget Phillipson (Labour - Houghton and Sunderland South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent (a) assessment she has made of and (b) steps she has taken to help ensure the safety of school buildings in Northumberland.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
It is the responsibility of those running schools, such as academy trusts and local authorities, to ensure that their schools are safe and well-maintained. The department has allocated over £15 billion since 2015 for keeping schools safe and operational, including £1.8 billion committed this financial year. Funding is informed by consistent data on the school estate. In addition, the School Rebuilding Programme will transform poor condition buildings at over 500 schools across England.
When the department is made aware of a significant issue with a building that cannot be managed locally, the department will provide additional support on a case-by-case basis.
Asked by: Bridget Phillipson (Labour - Houghton and Sunderland South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent (a) assessment she has made of and (b) steps she has taken to help ensure the safety of school buildings in Somerset.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
It is the responsibility of those running schools, such as academy trusts and local authorities, to ensure that their schools are safe and well-maintained. The department has allocated over £15 billion since 2015 for keeping schools safe and operational, including £1.8 billion committed this financial year. Funding is informed by consistent data on the school estate. In addition, the School Rebuilding Programme will transform poor condition buildings at over 500 schools across England.
When the department is made aware of a significant issue with a building that cannot be managed locally, the department will provide additional support on a case-by-case basis.
Asked by: Bridget Phillipson (Labour - Houghton and Sunderland South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has had discussions with representatives of (a) the Roman Catholic Church and (b) Church of England on the safety of (i) block and beam concrete and (ii) high alumina cement constructions in schools managed by the dioceses of those Churches since 25 October 2022.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
Ministers and officials of the department meet regularly with unions and other stakeholder organisations to discuss a wide range of issues, including the safety of school buildings. There is a regular meeting on school buildings run by departmental officials which includes representatives of the Association of School and College Leaders, the National Education Union, the National Association of Headteachers, NASUWT, Unison, Unite, GMB, the Local Government Association, the Confederation of School Trusts, the Church of England, and the Catholic Education Service. This group has discussed issues around block and beam concrete and high alumina cement.
Asked by: Bridget Phillipson (Labour - Houghton and Sunderland South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when she last met with representatives of (a) the Association of School and College Leaders, (b) the National Association of Head Teachers, (c) the National Association of Schoolmaster Union, (d) the National Education Union, (e) Unison, (f) GMB and (g) Unite to discuss the safety of school buildings in which they work.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
Ministers and officials of the department meet regularly with unions and other stakeholder organisations to discuss a wide range of issues, including the safety of school buildings. There is a regular meeting on school buildings run by departmental officials which includes representatives of the Association of School and College Leaders, the National Education Union, the National Association of Headteachers, NASUWT, Unison, Unite, GMB, the Local Government Association, the Confederation of School Trusts, the Church of England, and the Catholic Education Service. This group has discussed issues around block and beam concrete and high alumina cement.
Asked by: Bridget Phillipson (Labour - Houghton and Sunderland South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when she last met with representatives of the (a) Roman Catholic Church, (b) Church of England, (c) Confederation of School Trusts and (d) Local Government Association to discuss the safety of school buildings that they manage.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
Ministers and officials of the department meet regularly with unions and other stakeholder organisations to discuss a wide range of issues, including the safety of school buildings. There is a regular meeting on school buildings run by departmental officials which includes representatives of the Association of School and College Leaders, the National Education Union, the National Association of Headteachers, NASUWT, Unison, Unite, GMB, the Local Government Association, the Confederation of School Trusts, the Church of England, and the Catholic Education Service. This group has discussed issues around block and beam concrete and high alumina cement.
Asked by: Bridget Phillipson (Labour - Houghton and Sunderland South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has had reason to revise her (a) assessment of the safety of High Aluminia Cement (HAC), (b) assessment of the safe operating life of HAC and (c) advice to schools where HAC was used as part of the construction method for any part of the building since 25 October 2022.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
It is the responsibility of those running schools - academy trusts, local authorities, and voluntary-aided school bodies - to collect and record information about their buildings, as well as to ensure that they are safe, well-maintained and comply with relevant regulations. The department supports schools and colleges on how this should be done in the Good Estate Management for Schools guidance, which is available on GOV.UK.
Departmental officials have regular discussions with relevant professional bodies and leading material specialists to ensure they are aware of any emerging evidence regarding the safety of construction materials used in the education estate. The department does not hold a central register of construction types used in the education estate.