Asked by: Meg Hillier (Labour (Co-op) - Hackney South and Shoreditch)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans his Department has to assess the presence of asbestos in schools which did not respond to the recent Asbestos Management Assurance Process request.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Department takes the issue of asbestos in schools seriously, and is committed to supporting schools, local authorities and academy trusts to fulfil their duty to manage asbestos safely, in line with the Control of Asbestos Regulations (2012). The Department has taken significant steps in recent years to strengthen schools’ approach to managing asbestos, including publishing refreshed guidance for schools in 2017 and launching the Asbestos Management Assurance Process earlier this year.
The response has been positive. The Department is, however, writing to schools and responsible bodies that did not participate in the assurance process to set out their legal duties and ask them to confirm that asbestos management plans are in place, where required.
The Department is also working closely with the Health and Safety Executive, which as the regulator, is empowered to take action where they feel that it is necessary.
Asked by: Meg Hillier (Labour (Co-op) - Hackney South and Shoreditch)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many incidents of asbestos released in schools were reported to his Department in each year between September 2011 and September 2017; how many school staff and pupils have been exposed in such incidents; and what action was taken by the Heath and Safety Executive in relation to those incidents.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The safety of children is paramount. The Department has taken significant steps in recent years to strengthen schools’ approach to managing asbestos. Since 2015, £5.6 billion has been invested to improve and maintain school buildings, including removing or encapsulating asbestos where appropriate. In addition, the £4.4 billion Priority School Building Program is rebuilding or refurbishing those school buildings in the very worst condition.
The Department does not hold data on the areas requested. If an incident of this nature is brought to the Department’s attention the person raising the incident would be redirected to the appropriate responsible body and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). The HSE has confirmed that the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 require incidents be reported to them, where a work activity causes the accidental release or escape of asbestos fibres into the air in a quantity sufficient to cause damage to the health of any person.
Incidents reported to the HSE are selected for investigation in accordance with incident selection criteria: http://www.hse.gov.uk/enforce/incidselcrits.pdf. HSE enquiries seek to ensure action is taken to control any immediate risk and that all relevant duty holders ensure effective controls are in place to reduce the likelihood of further similar failings. Enforcement action in respect of any compliance shortfalls is taken in accordance with the HSE’s published Enforcement Policy Statement: http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/hse41.pdf.
Asked by: Meg Hillier (Labour (Co-op) - Hackney South and Shoreditch)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what progress her Department has made on earmarking an asbestos removal fund to tackle asbestos in schools.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Department takes the issue of asbestos in schools seriously, and is committed to supporting schools, local authorities and academy trusts to fulfil their duty to manage asbestos safely. It is the aim of the government that, over time, as more school buildings are replaced and refurbished, all asbestos will be removed from schools.
The Department has invested £4.2 billion in maintenance and improvement across the schools’ estate since 2015, enabling local authorities and multi-academy trusts to maintain their school buildings, and is rebuilding or refurbishing buildings at over 500 schools through the Priority Schools Building Programme - an investment of £4.4 billion. Asbestos is being removed or encapsulated where appropriate as part of these programmes.
Usage of asbestos in the construction of buildings in Britain, including schools, peaked between 1945 and 1975 before declining until its use was banned in 1999.
The Department is currently developing an asbestos management assurance process. This process will ask local bodies responsible for management of asbestos in schools to provide information about whether asbestos is present in their schools and how this is being managed.
Asked by: Meg Hillier (Labour (Co-op) - Hackney South and Shoreditch)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what analysis and data her Department holds on the number of school buildings which contain asbestos.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Department takes the issue of asbestos in schools seriously, and is committed to supporting schools, local authorities and academy trusts to fulfil their duty to manage asbestos safely. It is the aim of the government that, over time, as more school buildings are replaced and refurbished, all asbestos will be removed from schools.
The Department has invested £4.2 billion in maintenance and improvement across the schools’ estate since 2015, enabling local authorities and multi-academy trusts to maintain their school buildings, and is rebuilding or refurbishing buildings at over 500 schools through the Priority Schools Building Programme - an investment of £4.4 billion. Asbestos is being removed or encapsulated where appropriate as part of these programmes.
Usage of asbestos in the construction of buildings in Britain, including schools, peaked between 1945 and 1975 before declining until its use was banned in 1999.
The Department is currently developing an asbestos management assurance process. This process will ask local bodies responsible for management of asbestos in schools to provide information about whether asbestos is present in their schools and how this is being managed.